The AT&T Williams team today confirmed that it had renewed its association with MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd as an official supplier of the race team. Since 2006, MAN power has been the driving force behind the team’s intensive road logistics programme that sees 35 tonnes of freight delivered every fortnight to the nine European destinations that form the backbone of the Formula One calendar.
The high level of dependency on reliability and dependability has been built around the 11
MAN tractor units and one rigid truck that constitute the AT&T Williams fleet. Each truck
travels around 180,000km per year, but despite the demanding mileage, the race calendar
provides no leeway for anything less than 100% precision on the punctual arrival of race
cars, garage equipment and motorhomes in order to set up the team’s remote field operation
at each Grand Prix.
Vehicle Telematics is also an area in which both Williams F1 and MAN are working.
Telematics technology within both the haulage industry and Formula One share a great
many synergies, providing plenty of scope for further development of driver training.
Commenting on the renewed agreement, Des Evans, MAN’s Head of Business
Development, Truck Sales, Northern Europe said, “MAN is naturally delighted to have
reaffirmed its partnership with the AT&T Williams team which, again, sees us in direct
support of one of Formula One’s most illustrious names. In these tough economic times, the
truck industry continues to struggle, and MAN has been forced into some tough decisions. is
very much part of a strategy of worldwide expansion.”
The AT&T Williams Team Principal, Frank Williams said, “We are very grateful to MAN, not
just for their continued support, but for providing a superior solution that we can rely on and
around which we manage a complex logistical programme for all European races.”