Formula 1 Chief Mechanic at Einhell in preparation for the season
As part of its preparations for the upcoming Formula 1 season, a delegation led by the Chief Mechanic of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team visited its ‘Official Tool Expert’ and partner, Einhell Germany AG, in the Einhell Welt at the company’s Landau headquarters. The Formula 1 professionals met up with the Einhell experts to discuss the technical refinements of the Einhell Power X-Change tools for optimum use in the Team.
Preparing for the longest Formula 1 season of all time
It all gets going again March 2nd, when Formula 1 launches its 2024 season with the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sakhir. A total of 24 world championship races are planned, more than ever before in a single year. The challenges facing the participating teams such as the Mercedes-AMG-PETRONAS F1 Team’s pit crew are correspondingly high. The whole team has already spent weeks in intensive preparation for the season premiere to ensure they can deliver the maximum performance both mentally and physically. To get them in top shape for the start of the season, gym sessions is the order of the day. Regular pit stop practice are also held so that every move is executed flawlessly. The team adopts the same perfectionist approach when it comes to selecting the right tools for the racing garage, with nothing being left to chance.
Reliable tools in dynamic situations
To prepare for the longest Formula 1 season of all time, Matt Deane, Chief Mechanic, and Chris King, Race Team Project Coordinator of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, visited the development department of Einhell Germany AG at the company's base in Landau (Germany). Einhell became the ‘Official Tool Expert’ of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team in January 2023, since when many cordless tools from the product range of the successful Power X-Change battery platform have been in use both at the team's headquarters in Brackley and in the garage of the racing team. That’s because reliable tools ensure safety in dynamic situations in the pit lane, where every action has to be just right. Einhell tools, such as the 36-volt cordless leaf blower, have proven to be particularly useful, given that the racing cars generate incredible heat of up to 1,000 degrees Celsius from the combustion engine and through use of the brakes, particularly when the car is coming into the pit lane from the race track. The mechanics then have to cool down the brakes as fast as possible to avoid heatsoak from the brake material through to the calipers.
Product training and visit to the lab
On site in Landau, Matt Deane and Chris King first completed a comprehensive product training session, where they were able to discover the latest innovations and prototypes for themselves. A range of product tests were then carried out in the lab with Einhell’s Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Markus Thannhuber. Among other topics, the experts discussed how the Einhell cordless tools used in Formula 1 can be tailored even more closely to the particular needs in the garage of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team.
“We give the engineers and mechanics of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team the very best tools to use in what are hugely demanding situations. And of course, it's also great fun to be able to discuss the refinements of our tools with this world-class team in-person and on an equal footing here in the Einhell Welt, and to drive these forward at a technical level,” said Dr. Markus Thannhuber of the constructive exchange.
Matt Deane, too, was able to gain some valuable insights for his pre-season preparations. “We have developed exciting new ideas for using the Einhell tools in the race environment. With its Power X-Change platform, Einhell offers us the advantage of using the same battery for multiple tools. That's because the team profits enormously from using cordless tools that enable us to work faster and more efficiently overall. And in Formula 1, time is of the essence,” says the Chief Mechanic of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, drawing a positive conclusion from the visit to its partner and ‘Official Tool Expert’, Einhell.
About Einhell Germany AG
Einhell is a leading manufacturer of state-of-the-art tools and equipment for the house and garden. From its headquarters in Landau/Isar (Bavaria), the internationally successful company has continuously expanded its innovative rechargeable battery platform Power X-Change and is now the market leader in the area of cordless tools and garden equipment. For many years Einhell has set new standards in terms of endurance, performance, and safety. Einhell customers appreciate the freedom of cordless operation for all their DIY projects, as well as the excellent value for money that Einhell products represent and the first-class customer service offered by the company.