The artic that goe rand prix racing
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Marlboro is heavily involved in this expensive sport and one aspect of its sponsorship is a lavish hospitality unit that goes round the circuit with the McLaren team. David Wilcox has been to see it at Silverstone
WHEN Niki Lauda and John Watson line up on the Silverstone grid for this Saturday's British Grand Prix they represent just the tip of a McLaren iceberg. Merely to get them to the start of the race has already involved many people, plenty of effort and a vast amount of money.
In addition to underwriting some of the costs, McLaren's major sponsor Marlboro provides tangible support in the shape of the Marlboro hospitality unit, a specially fitted-out trailer and tractive unit which attends the various European Grand Prix.
While the McLaren racing transporter looks after the cars, the Marlboro trailer looks after the team — drivers, managers and mechanics — while they are at the circuit for the race and the practice sessions beforehand.
To find out how it does that, I caught up with the trailer at Silverstone three weeks ago when the teams were there for tyre testing for today's Grand Prix. Its driver, Martin Cornwell gave me a guided tour.
The trailer started life in 1973 as an insulated step-frame model — an unusual combination but eminently suitable for conversion because of the insulation and the low deck height which gives plenty of space for the belly lockers that have been installed to take all the equipment. After an initial conversion by another company, Bedford dealer United Service Garages (part of the Wincanton Group) in Portsmouth took over responsibility for the Marlboro trailer about seven years ago and refitted it to the current standard, including the spectacular "cigarette packet" paint job.
Entering via the door in the middle of the offside, the front section of the trailer (the "red end" because of the colour of the furnishing) is a hospitality section withperimeter seating and a suspended ceiling. It is for Marlboro/McLaren guests, VIPs and the press, etc. Near the centre of the trailer is a surprisingly well-equipped kitchen with a six-burner cooker running off
bottled gas, fridge, freezer and so on. The rear of the trailer (the "brown end") is reserved for team briefing with Messrs Watson and Lauda and team manager Ron Dennis.
Because the Formula 1 season runs through the summer from March to October air conditioning is a top priority and the trailer has no fewer than three air-conditioning units. To satisfy the trailer's voracious appetite for electricity USG installed a large petrol-driven 12.5kW (17bhp) generator, slung under the neck of the step-frame chassis.
Traction for the Marlboro trailer comes from a Bedford TM4400 sleeper-cab unit, jointly provided by Bedford and USG. It has the Detroit 6V-92TA Silver engine and in this installation the vee-configuration six-cylinder two-stroke develops 198kW (266bhp) at 1,950rpm. More impressive is the installed torque figure of 1,264Nm (932 lbft) at 1,30Orpm.
To keep the racy image the TM sports a roof-mot spoiler, air horns, a nor dard slatted grill and a c integral bumper/air dam last item being a product Bedford Design Studio.
Although the Grand Prix takes the teams all rour world, the Marlboro host unit is restricted to the Eur events — fortunatel majority fall within this cat In addition to these Fort races for McLaren, Ma also occasionally uses the for other motor-sport such as the British mot( Grand Prix or Le Mans ar season it will attend a tote events between March ar tober.
The Marlboro trailer do travel in convoy with the ren car transporter becaus work to different time1 after the race the McLaren porter leaves immediately turn to its Woking base wl the Marlboro trailer will s rather longer. Including tt race testing and qualifyir normally at the circuit for six days.
It is staffed by three p driver Martin Cornwell, ageress Sally Wing and t sistant Jenny Redfern. who joined at the beginr this season told me that i1 lamorous job that it may Ir. On arriving at the circuit Istablishing his position in addock his first job is to — by hand — the whole so that the red and white ioro livery is shown to best rtin then has to find water electricity supplies in the )ck. He said that at some ts these are limited and al in demand by the other transporters and team )rhomes. The Marlboro r has a 900 litre (200 gallon) • tank mounted under the which has to be kept td-up.
3 next task is to erect the Dy on the offside of the
r and set out the tables and s beneath it. Then it is onto railer's roof via a hatch to Jp the Marlboro banners
flags and railings — )oro guests may stand up to get a better view of the 30 the roof is covered with a slip surface. All the equip
is stored in the trailer's lockers.
ce everything is set up, In is on hand to drive McLaAarlboro personnel as re d and generally be avail"It's harder work than you . The driving to the circuits :easy part."
e other hgv drivers on the inent he gets the usual rets from certain countries' ims officials for cigarettes. 1g the Marlboro trailer their 3sts are on the high side as erroneously believe that it be carrying several million ettes for free distribution! ' a trailer frequently goes
t from one grand prix to the if the races are on succesweekends but if there is a t goes back down to USG at mouth where it is garaged naintained. USG has made quite a speciality of motor racing work and also looks after the McLaren racing transporter.
Between them, Bedford and USG have just supplied McLaren with two new Bedford TM units, this time equipped with the Cummins E290 engine.
Come October and the end of the season the Marlboro unit and trailer spends the winter at USG. Although it still looks resplendent this is probably the last season for this particular trailer as a new one is being planned which is promised to be even plusher.
Martin Cornwell has one definite request — can it have a shorter wheelbase? The flaps on the current trailer hide the fact that its single axle with 15 inch wheels is mounted right at the back of the trailer and it suffers from excessive cut in on the corners."People wave me through and then wonder why I clip the kerb."
As for Martin Cornwell, when the season ends he will return to his "proper" job as a partner in a small haulage company in Northfleet, Kent. Although he says it is hard work I got the impression he will be looking forward to the start of next season and donning his Marlboro shirt, his Marlboro pullover, his Marlboro trousers, his Marlboro shoes ..