Volunteers allow F1 to save $15.5 million a year.

      The FIA has published a multi-page report that analyzes for the first time the scale and role of volunteers who facilitate the conduct of Formula 1 race weekends. The work carried out by the FIA University covers the participation of unpaid officials – from marshals and observers to rescue services and medical personnel – and allows for a new assessment of the size of this system. According to the findings, an average of 838 volunteers is required to organize each Formula 1 event, which means that over 20,000 people are involved throughout the season. The expenses of FIA member clubs for attracting, training, and supporting this large team amount to about $12.9 million. At the same time, the study showed that replacing volunteers with paid professionals at industry-standard rates would cost at least $15.5 million more annually. Significant logistical challenges and the increasing burden on staff, many of whom are forced to take unpaid leave to participate in race weekends, prompted the FIA to pay special attention to the long-term sustainability of this system. "The data clearly indicates that the future leadership of Formula 1 depends on the transition from reliance on voluntary assistance to a more systematic and professionally structured model of working with volunteers," the report states. Already, the FIA invests about $400,000 annually in training programs for officials, and in the future, the funding will only increase. Additionally, an initiative is being considered to create a specialized training center for judges, which will be called a center of excellence.