F1Weekly Podcast # 1153

ON TODAYS PROGRAM…   LE CLERC MUST DO SOMETHING IN AUSTRIA OR HE WILL BE NUMBER TWO!! MCLAREN SAYS BEING A MERCEDES CUSTOMER TEAM IS A DISADVANTAGE! FORMULA ONE RULES KEEP ON EVOLVING! GASLY’S MONACO PODIUM REINSTATEMENT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND… FERNANDO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAKAR RALLY AND RACING AT LE MANS WITH MAX VERSTAPPEN!!!…   THIS WEEK’S NASIR HAMEED CORNER WE HAVE: A MOMENT IN MOTORSPORTS HISTORY…AN INTERVIEW WITH F1 PHOTOGRAPHER PETER NYGARD AND MORE TRIVIA!!! When the rear wing has to go in your carry-on – a look into the different worlds of logistics at Audi How the logistics division of AUDI AG and the Formula 1 project benefit from each other Dieter Braun, Head of Audi Supply Chain, in discussion with his F1 colleagues Björn Brickwedde and Lars Rolack Logistics as a performance factor in motorsport and a driving force in road car production   More than 20 race weekends, global supply chains, tight time windows, geopolitical tensions, and the constant pressure to get every part to the right place on time: Formula 1 is not only a high-performance technological laboratory but also an extreme test for logistics. Many of the challenges faced by Audi Revolut F1 Team on the racetrack are also familiar to Audi Supply Chain – just on a different scale. A discussion between the logistics experts reveals what both worlds can learn from each other.   Dieter Braun, Head of Audi Supply Chain, sums it up: “If there’s one thing we need in the company, it’s speed. Not just on the racetrack, but when making decisions.” This is exactly where the key leverage lies: Formula 1 demonstrates what quick decisions, clear responsibilities, and precise preparation can achieve. Logistics as a performance factor In Formula 1, logistics directly determines on-track performance. Anything that isn’t at the track on time can’t be used. If transportation costs are too high, there’s less left in the budget for other areas. Björn Brickwedde, Head of Logistics at Audi Revolut F1 Team in Hinwil, Switzerland, explains: “Any savings we make in logistics can be invested in development and parts.” This is especially true under Formula 1’s cost cap. Efficient logistics thus becomes a performance factor. Brickwedde cites specific examples: intelligent strategies for return shipments, minimal spare parts inventory, smart route planning, and determining the most cost-effective location from which to ship update parts or components. “Every expense saved can flow into development – and then into lap times.” Audi Supply Chain, in turn, designs and manages the entire customer order process – from ordering an Audi to delivery to the customer. This complex system involves several thousand suppliers in nearly 60 countries to manage the flow of goods comprising around one million parts per day. Every optimization in this cross-divisional core process creates leeway – whether in terms of costs, capital tied up, or the CO2 footprint. “In our role as conductors, we can contribute hundreds of millions in earnings for the company,” says Braun. One example illustrates the scope: Audi Supply Chain doesn’t just orchestrate – it also manages crises and, with experienced employees working as a team, overcomes short-term challenges. Braun describes a situation involving the production of the last Audi Q2 cars. A container with displays that could not be reproduced was on its way from China via Dubai to Germany when war broke out in the Middle East. “The shipping company spontaneously decided to call at a port in India and unload all the containers without consulting us,” says Braun. The goods couldn’t be obtained in time via India, so Audi organized a detour via Sri Lanka and Turkey. “The parts arrived half a day before they were needed,” says Braun, “otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to finish and deliver 2,000 Q2 cars.” Brickwedde’s account of the Formula 1 season opener in Melbourne sounds very similar. “A supplementary shipment