The Fourth Emergency Service
One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding logistics is that it simply involves moving equipment from one place to another.
Mortimer laughs at the suggestion. “We call ourselves the fourth emergency service.”
Behind every freight movement sits an extraordinary amount of regulation and administration. Customs paperwork, dangerous goods declarations, import and export requirements, country-specific legislation and transportation regulations all need to be managed before a single crate begins its journey.
The championship’s battery systems provide perhaps the most striking example. Moving high-voltage batteries internationally requires years of preparation, extensive documentation and constant coordination with regulatory authorities.
“People think it’s easy just to pick up a box and send it somewhere,” Mortimer says. “What they don’t realise is the amount of paperwork and customs clearance that goes with it.”
The process extends beyond the destination country itself. When Formula E aircraft carry batteries around the world, countries whose airspace is being overflown must be informed in advance.
“It doesn’t just work by filling in an invoice and sending it,” he says.
That unseen complexity is one of the reasons why logistics teams spend so much of their time preparing for situations that may never occur. Backup shipping routes are identified. Alternative vessels are selected. Contingency plans are developed. The objective is not simply to move freight, but to ensure the championship continues operating when circumstances become difficult.
And occasionally, circumstances become very difficult indeed.
When Everything Goes Wrong
Mortimer has witnessed many challenges during his time in Formula E.
There was the Covid-19 pandemic, which struck shortly after he took over the role. There have been disruptions in the Suez Canal, geopolitical conflicts affecting global shipping routes and a constant stream of logistical hurdles that accompany a championship moving between continents.
Yet one experience stands above all others. In late 2024, severe flooding struck the Valencia region while Formula E was preparing for testing at Circuit Ricardo Tormo. Mortimer was already on site as the weather deteriorated.
“The motorway was down to one lane. I could see trucks floating because the water was coming down from the mountains.”
Initially, the situation appeared manageable. By late afternoon, it was anything but.
Mortimer and colleagues attempted to leave the circuit but quickly discovered they were trapped. Floodwaters had cut off the route out, forcing them to spend the night sleeping in their vehicles.
“All we needed to do was get out of the front gate,” he recalls.
The following morning brought the full reality of the disaster.
“There were helicopters flying around. People calling out names. Around where we work there’s a big dry river and people had been washed away. It’s one of the saddest times and I won’t forget it,” recalls Mortimer.
At precisely the same time, Formula E teams, suppliers and contractors from across Europe were attempting to travel to Valencia. Major roads had disappeared. Key motorway junctions had been washed away. One truck carrying championship equipment was left precariously balanced where the road beneath it had collapsed.
The championship suddenly found itself managing a humanitarian emergency and a logistical crisis simultaneously.
“We told everybody to stop where they were.”
What followed was a vast coordination effort involving Formula E, DHL, teams and local authorities. Freight routes were rewritten. Travel plans were reworked. Alternative solutions were identified.
“It was a lot of phone calls. A lot of planning.”
Eventually the operation recovered. Testing took place. The championship moved forward. The experience reinforced a lesson that every logistics professional understands. No matter how comprehensive the planning, the unexpected always remains possible.
Monaco and Beyond
Every Formula E venue presents its own challenges.
Permanent circuits offer established infrastructure, wide access roads and predictable operating environments. Street circuits require a different mindset altogether, with road closures, limited space and complex delivery schedules becoming part of everyday life.
Monaco remains one of the most demanding events on the calendar. For fans, it is one of motorsport’s great spectacles. For logistics teams, it is an exercise in precision.
“We say this is probably one of our most dangerous areas where we come because there’s so many people floating around,” Mortimer explains.
Tourists, narrow streets, restricted access and constant activity create an environment where every movement has to be carefully controlled. Freight is staged outside the city before being escorted into position. Truck movements are carefully managed. Delivery schedules are coordinated down to the smallest detail.
Yet despite the complexity, Monaco is a known quantity. New street circuits are often more demanding because every detail must be developed from scratch.
“We’re looking at truck turning circles. We’re looking at forklift movements. We’re looking at the space we’ve got available. We just try and plan everything to death as much as we can.”
As Formula E prepares to reveal another calendar and another season of racing, most attention will understandably focus on the championship battle ahead.
For Barry Mortimer, the focus lies elsewhere. He will see aircraft payloads, shipping schedules, customs documentation, backup routes and months of work still to come. Fans will see a list of destinations. Mortimer will see the challenge of connecting them.
For everyone else, the calendar marks the countdown to a new season. For Formula E’s Paddock and Logistics Director, it marks the start of the next race.
