The role of a rally team manager is to guarantee all the necessary structure for the racers to have a good race and worry only about the specials. This includes taking care of the logistics, meals, mechanics and any problem that might happen along the way.
This year we already had a problem. On arriving in Catalão, the motorhome had a mechanical problem that was resolved in Goiânia. Then in Caldas Novas, there was a problem again and we had to redo all the logistics, tells us Mauricio Neves, manager of the XRC Pro Maquina team.
A Team manager cordinates all the áreas of the teamBut it isnt only problems that occupy their days. The day to day of a team manager is complicated, Our team has 17 staff members and five racers. So I established the tasks: I have a person responsible for the food, drinks and cleaning the kitchen; a person responsible for assembling the camp; a person responsible for the mechanics and for the distribution of parts and one responsible for the timetables and logistics. I supervise all these sectors, explains S=Dario Julio, manager of the Honda Mobil team.
Whatever goes wrong with the team is quickly solved so as not to affect the concentration and performance of the racers. The problems are passed on to me, but I do not pass them on to the racers, they only have to be concerned with racing, states Pezão, manager of the Yamaha Rinaldi team.
Logístics
Aside from leaving the racers and navigators out of the mishaps in logistics, the team manager coordinates the rescues during the special and runs around to accompany his team, The racer feels reassured when he sees us at the start, at the radar, in the refueling area and at the finish, so we accompany all the stretches, says Pezão.
The presence of the team ate the radar zones makes a difference to the racer. . Foto: Gustavo Epifanio/ WebventureWith so many people together for over a week, it is inevitable that a few problems occur among the members of the team. We had a cook who used to put cashews on the shopping lists every day. Then I discovered that he was buying beer (disguised as cashews) and drinking secretly. We talks and one day he caught the plane home, Pezão recalls.
The racers do not worry about th logistics. Foto: Jonne Roriz/ WebventureThey take decisions, participate and suffer. I have fun, I worry, suffer when the vehicles dont arrive, when the performance isnt up to what the cars can offer, but that is our job, says Mauricio.
Históry
What is never missing on these rally journeys are stories to tell. In 2010 we were visiting a city and we saw some white boys, very white. After much insistence, they came up to us and we saw that the white layer was manioc flour, because they worked carrying the product for a local factory. We bought lunch for the boys and gave them all the toys and food that we had in the pick-up. It was one of the loveliest rally days for me, Pezão tells.
The team manager has many roles, but according to Dario, they can be summed up in one: the role of a team manager is not to let any of the racers or supports down, in any way at all.
Este texto foi escrito por: Isabela Rios/Webventure
Last modified: agosto 29, 2014
