New factory not until 2022: Racing Points lessons from Corona

D he world of work is changing. The corona pandemic is forcing companies to rethink. Home office has suddenly become socially acceptable - also in Formula 1. Social distancing currently forces teams to keep around 50 percent of their workforce at home. And it looks like there will be a future for home offices in the world's fastest traveling circus even after Corona.

Racing Point, for example, has discovered the advantages of working from home. To the surprise of the team leadership, the output does not suffer. On the contrary. The team from Silverstone has become even more effective through mobile work, according to the team headquarters.

Racing Point technical director Andy Green states: 'There are no negative effects on the employees who work in the home office Effects. They can integrate the work into their everyday life. And that makes them happier. We find that nobody abseils, but the willingness to work even more. You don't mind. You like to do it because you have more personal freedom. '

No problem with the old factory

And that's exactly why Racing Point wants to stick to it in the future. The measures forced by the corona pandemic made it clear to the team that the old working conditions were not ideal. Even better results can be achieved with restructuring, with more home office and freedom for employees. 'We no longer have to have 300 people sitting in the design office at the same time every day. That doesn't seem to be the most effective way,' says Green.

Racing Point wants the lessons from the Corona crisis to be incorporated into the construction of the new one Flow into the factory in Silverstone. The racing team is currently moving into an old facility that has existed since the 1990s and can be traced back to its predecessor Jordan.

Racing Point actually wanted to move in the summer of 2021. The move has now been delayed by at least a year. The chief technology officer sees it easily. 'We can stay in our current factory for at least two years.' Because you have discovered the advantages of mobile working for yourself. And because Formula 1 is changing.

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Andy Green is the head of the engineering office at Racing Point.

More relaxed in the home office

The development capacities are restricted: less wind tunnel time, less CFD. For this purpose, large parts of the 2020 car will be transferred to the 2021 model. Keyword: homologation. So you don't necessarily have to move quickly. The tools from the old factory are sufficient.

From 2021, a budget cap of 145 million dollars will come into effect, under which Racing Point is already floating. The team will spend less than allowed. 'Our goal is to become even more effective in order to create more freedom for ourselves to budget,' says Green. In other words: Racing Point can make good use of this buffer in the future. The budget ceiling will drop to $ 135 million by 2023. 'We can adapt our plans to expand the team accordingly.'

One step towards even more effectiveness is the adaptation to the new world of work. Racing Point wants to incorporate the findings from the Corona crisis into the construction of the new factory. The racing team has found that even a low level of noise leads to restrictions in efficiency.

'This disturbs employees in their concentration. Their thoughts are unintentionally interrupted. A conversation next door or if just someone is in the office is enough enters, 'explains Green. In the home office there are fewer hall calls. Provided that you have the space to actually work undisturbed in your own home. And when building the new factory, the noise problem can be taken into account, for example in the design of the offices.

Racing Point has drawn further lessons from the unfamiliar situation due to Corona. Green explains: 'To our amazement, it is easier for employees to seek a one-on-one conversation. That may sound strange because they are usually only a few meters apart. But conversations seem to be easier for them when they are together don't sit directly across from each other. You are simply more relaxed. '