Welcome to The Grid, R&T’s quick roundup of the auto industry and motorsports news you should know this morning.
Ferrari’s Ambitious Plans to Restart Production
Italy was hit badly by the coronavirus, and most “non-essential” businesses were closed to stop the spread. Ferrari was forced to stop car production at its iconic Maranello factory as a result, but the automaker has an ambitious plan to restart. Reuters reports that Ferrari is offering voluntary blood tests for employees to determine whether or not they’re safe to return to work. The results are recorded in an app, which will alert employees if they’ve come in contact with someone with the disease. Ferrari’s head of human resources told Reuters that 500 out of the 4000 workers at the Maranello plant have been tested, and the automaker is capable of performing 800 tests a day.
It’s an interesting plan—and you can read more details at Reuters—and it could provide a template for how much of the world returns to work. The news outlet points out that it might not work for large automakers, but it could work for small and medium-sized companies.
What the UAW Wants From the Big Three
Speaking of large automakers, the American Big Three are targeting production restarts in the coming weeks, and all are in talks with the UAW, which is looking to guarantee protections for their workers. Once again, we turn to Reuters for information on what the UAW is asking for, and what the automakers are offering. Among other things, the union is looking for guaranteed pay for employees who self-quarantine if they’re feeling ill. The UAW is also urging automakers to test their employees before they returning to work, and to provide new personal protective equipment daily for those who are working.
What it Costs Not to Race
Racing is expensive, and race teams make money when they’re actually racing. In addition to money from sponsors, Formula 1 teams are paid a share of the commercial rights for every race ran. In an interview with Motorsport.com, AlphaTauri (formerly Toro Rosso) boss Franz Tost says the team loses around €1.5 to 2 million for every race not run. “The contracts are designed in such a way that we lose revenue proportionately if races are not run, because the agreed amount is then reduced,” Tost says.
If racing restarts by July, as is the goal, Tost likens the financial damage to being akin to a “black eye.” But going longer than that could be disastrous. Williams team principal Claire Williams echoed his comments in an interview with Sky Sports. “A big part of that is when we can go racing again, particularly for a team like ours—one of the few true independents left. We don’t have the backing the majority of our competitors have,” she said. “For us, going racing is actually critical this year, but as I have said, only when it’s safe to do so.”
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