Hello, I am Marcel, I am 36 years old – it is never too late to start something, is it? – and today I want to add a chapter to my diary from the motorsport world. Enjoy reading this part of the Diary of a Motorsport Engineer
It is Monday, the day after the NLS 2024 season opener „double header“. Two four hour races in two days. Today I don‘t want to talk too much about the race and the result. I want to talk about the side of Motorsport which is barely seen. The build up. It is usually about half a day to a day until track action starts when the team arrives at the track to support the build up.
In customer racing you‘ll not only put your professional workshop equipment into the garage and prepare the drivers hospitality. You’ll also serve your customers and guests a friendly and good atmosphere where they and the team can enjoy themselves. Thus tents, catering, lights, seats and tables need to be prepared. All of that between unpacking new equipment or putting a last hand on the cars before they go out on track. Because all customer race drivers want to feel and are treated eventually as they are in their role as race drivers on the one hand, but customer racing is also business.
The build up happens, as walking your dog, regardless of the weather. Fun fact, this time Thursday it was pouring and very windy. The logistics behind all teams, no matter how small or big they are is hughe.
It is not the right atmosphere to start into a race weekend with a clear objective. Though it is what it is. The same also for loading the truck(s) and trailer(s) after the race. When the chequered flag falls, the fans drive home and the TV spectators switch the TV off. The drivers and guests make their way to the podium ceremony and to their beds. The team though starts just another episode: logistics to get home. All the equipment must go home into the workshop. Tools, trophies and also some more tire sets – if there is something left on it.
Driving through the Eifel mountains into sunset is very rewarding after we as a team have done our job for the weekend. Well depending on how far it is to the workshop it might just be the penultimate job. The cars, some chunks of the equipment and the used clothes want to be unloaded, cleaned and get ready for the next round.
„Cleaning is checking“ - Unknown
So this is about it for the last weekend. Thank you for all the kind messages which reached me through different channels. This is very motivating to keep going. A question which reached me from Jason from south of Germany. He asked what a motorsport engineer does the day after the race. Well it was today at first getting some work done and then playing with the ride height of my lawn mower. It is spring, the start of the racing season and the time of working in the garden. So I gave it a bit more rake by lowering the front. The front of my mower tends to have a lot of „understeer“. In the low grass sections it goes now much more stable through the corners. In the high grass sections the engine tends to stall. So the only way to get through it is to lift off before and thorough these sections and mow them once again.
Well it is just a tiny little joke, except the rake, and the stalled engine which I had like six times today because of the height.
Last but not least a small comment on the result: It was nine trophies in two races where we as a team handled three cars. Happy faces amongst the drivers and good positioning in the championship. That‘s how I like to continue the season!
Thanks guys, see you this week for the next NLS double header. Half of the season, eight events, in nine days!
Thank you for reading my story from the motorsport world! Did you enjoy it?
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You want to read another story? Checkout about my passion for motorsport photography and my engagement in the 24h of LeMans: LINK or about rules and regs in NLS: LINK
See you trackside!
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