McLaren has found a remarkable way to cut costs

Formula 1 will begin their first year with a budget cap in 2021. This will result in logical changes such as the number of permanent employees at the F1 teams, but also some curious changes in their working methods, as shown on McLaren's first day of testing at Silverstone.

The team arrived in the pits with a completely new set of tools. In itself not strange, but where this set would normally go around the world with the team, McLaren has now bought a total of five identical sets that alternate. Transporting these sets by ship is cheaper than taking that one set by plane.

Going to extremes to save costs

"To put stuff in sea freight, it pays for itself within a year," team manager Paul James is quoted as saying by Motorsport Magazine. "There are no ongoing flight costs, it all goes into sea freight. It's all cost-effective, it's the way forward."

So you can save costs by purchasing five completely new sets of equipment. It is a curious fact, but also a logical one for a racing team. McLaren tries to save as much as possible on things that are not related to the development of the car.