Don't forget F1 testing's unsung heroes

During those long lulls in Formula 1 testing when the track is sparsely populated, don't be fooled into believing nothing is happening.

Behind every closed garage door or screen will be incredibly hard-working personnel grafting like their lives depended on it.

Sometimes they will be examining data, sometimes removing parts, sometimes combing the car to troubleshoot problems and sometimes using various grinders to reprofile parts to solve cooling troubles. Whatever they are doing, they won't be sitting on their hands.

While not exactly unseen, these are characters rarely focused on in grand prix racing outside of the few seconds it takes to complete a pitstop. Even then they are shrouded, faceless figures, more an extension of the car than flesh and blood. They are hiding in plain sight.

Yes, they are part of the 'glamorous' F1 circus and for the most part do feel very privileged to do so. But they are working people, on what might be termed 'normal' wages - certainly not on telephone-number pay levels - with normal worries, normal families and all the usual troubles confronting people in their everyday lives.

They are also at a time in the year when many think they have little to do, yet will have rushed to build the car, get to Spain and then get the cars running. The season started for them weeks ago, and it won't really come to an end until December - save for the mandatory 14-day break during the summer.

As an aside, even that has been chipped away at this year with a rule stating that if "two consecutive events during this period are separated by only 17 days, a shutdown period of 13 consecutive days must be observed".

At Autosport International recently, Jean Todt was asked about the workload created by a 21-race grand prix calendar. In fact, he was asked twice, once in an interview on the Autosport Stage and once in the Watkins Lecture, put on by the Motor Sport Safety Fund.

F1 team HQs must close during the summer shutdown window

His response on both occasions was effectively to say that those working in F1 are very lucky to do so and should not complain.

He's right, of course, if the question was whether people were unhappy to be working in F1. But the question was about workload.

There's a curious belief that anyone doing something they enjoy is somehow incapable of fatigue and that they must destroy themselves for the cause. And many do work extraordinary hours to do their job to the best possible standards.

It's not human nature to have any sympathy for these people. After all, they get to do a job millions dream of doing - well, dream of doing up to but not including the point where they have to dedicate their lives to achieving it. Perhaps sympathy is not the word, perhaps it's more about respecting what they do rather than believing that their dedication should be rewarded with overwork.

With cost-cutting one of those areas that remains a hot potato in Formula 1, it's worth noting that one of the few areas where spending genuinely has been tackled is in terms of employment.

Each team is limited to 60 operational personnel at the track during race weekends, although this is not the case in testing when usually teams will run a night shift in addition to the operational staff running the car on the day.

Granted, the introduction of the curfew system has made a difference. Operational personnel are not allowed in the circuit for a specific eight-hour period prior to the start of Friday and Saturday practice, which starts 11 hours before track running commences. The parc ferme rules on Saturday night also mean those are relatively clear. So other than when the two curfew exemptions for each team are used, that's pretty civilised, albeit still with scope for a 16-hour day.

Of course, you can limit the personnel but not necessarily the workload that a team of people needs to get through. This means many personnel are having to fit in more work in a smaller timescale.

During testing, garages in the paddock are a hive of activity overnight during tests © XPB

Plus, as well as those working on the engineering and mechanicing side, there's also those who look after them - providing the food, transporting them etc. They, too, have to keep long and unusual hours.

And all have to slog their way around the world. Often, they will be doing so from the cheap seats on flights - something that the decision makers telling them they are 'lucky to be in the job' will only do in unusual circumstances.

So it's very easy for what might be termed top brass not to worry about overwork of staff. After all, it's a very different proposition to travel to and from races either in a private jet or in first or business class compared to economy.

Yes, team members are fortunate to travel around the world even in economy - I've done it myself for years while covering F1 and do feel privileged - but it does play havoc with sleep patterns and it takes a serious toll on you.

And it can have the same effect on people's personal lives. People sacrifice a lot to work in F1 and there is also a price there.

By and large, F1 teams are professional organisations with accomplished HR departments that treat their staff well. But the race workload exists outside of the control of team management.

A good example of this was when the calendar featured seven flyaway races in 11 weeks in 2012 and '13. While this is purely based on anecdotal 'evidence', at the time those working in teams did often suggest a rise both in illness and workplace accidents.

Some talk about running a rotation in terms of operational personnel, but there are problems associated with doing that. It can be more expensive, and swapping people in and out of roles on any given weekend can create problems with the way the whole team gels.

When Malaysia joined a 16-race calendar in 1999, it was one of five flyaways © LAT

Teams exist to do a job: to win. Those that join teams must buy into that and those who are successful at it tend to be willing to go to whatever lengths to do so. But that is where there is a responsibility to those managing them, be it within the teams or even at governing body level, to be responsible and not take advantage of that.

More races does mean more income, both for those who own the commercial rights and the teams. But it's important that this revenue stream should not be exploited without consideration for those actually putting on the show.

Certainly, those working for F1 teams aren't as put upon as the junior doctors in the UK currently, but it's still important to have consideration for the workforce. That's one sign of a society that aspires to be more than simply exploitative.

There's a lot of concern for the health and wellbeing of the teams themselves, but once in a while it's also important to consider those who make up those organisations.

Their skills, dedication and accomplishments should not be used against them by those who would take them for granted.

They don't need your sympathy or tears, just respect.