Although the world-class GT cars in China GT Championship attract everybody’s attention and are the focal point of conversation during a race weekend, it is not the only object that is required to be prepared professionally.  Of equal importance is that of the behind the scenes event organisation, among which includes the safety team and their equipment to ensure that safety is of paramount importance.

No matter the sport, it is inevitable that competitors will encounter an incident. During a race, the driver may make a mistake or be faced with a mechanical failure, with the most common occurrence a car overshooting off-track, sometimes triggering a yellow flag or safety car, and temporarily putting the race on hold whilst the safety team is dispatched to assist the driver and remove the car from harm’s way.

China GT has engaged a specialised team to ensure that the races operate as smooth as possible as well as to safeguard the safety of drivers. Therefore, a state-of-the-art telescopic crane has been procured for the use of car removal in this year’s China GT Championship.

Interest regarding this machine has been considerable, especially when taking into consideration the fact that a similar model is used in premier international racing series, such as F1 and DTM. This vehicle has an arm which extends outwards, capable of lifting weights exceeding two tonnes, despite the lightweight build that GT race cars are known for. It can provide speedy 360-degree assistance for cars at any time, thereby ensuring that the race can resume in the shortest amount of time possible

The strength of this piece of equipment can truly be appreciated upon viewing the telescopic arm in action, by witnessing the mechanical beauty of the outward extension of the crane’s arm.

It is impossible for races to operate properly without the efforts of these backstage heroes. The next time you’re enjoying the delights of the 2017 China GT Championship, don’t forget to spare a thought for the safety team and their machines too!