Paul Fauth writes:

The Grand Prix circus has now truly arrived in Melbourne. Aughty Drive (Pit Straight) is now littered with containers and trucks.

For "fly away" Grands Prix the lavish articulated team trucks and hospitality units are not available. Instead Gibson Freight Systems collate all of the teams' needs into specially designed containers which fit into a 747 freighter.

These containers representing millions of pounds of technology are now being unloaded and unpacked in just two days will form the basis of the pits for each team.

Three Ferraris in mufti resemble Tonka toys under their designer body gloves

Reality is present in the fact that the names Raikkonen is over the Ferrari pit, Alonso over the McLaren Pit, Webber over the Red Bull pit, Davidson over the Super Aguri Pit. The parc ferme and scrutineering bays are already packed with the equipment required.

Interestingly, in the pecking order of pit spaces (determined by last years points score) Spyker is second last in the row with Super Aguri last.

A real problem for all, team managers, drivers and spectators is the amount of dust present on and over the circuit. The crippling drought which still grips eastern Australia has left Albert Park dry and dusty and the winds which accompany Melbourne's transition to autumn are blowing large clouds of dust over the circuit which will make the "rubbering-up" of the circuit and tyre choice that much more difficult.

Work starts this morning with the arrival of some team members to unpack and assemble the contents of the containers.

For the established teams this is routine but for the Spyker team, whose containers are red but unbranded they face the daunting prospect of the million little details which confront any team. These details are as trivial as finding a place to launder team uniforms over night, catering and seating, through to the really important items such as electric power adapters, voltage converters, team transport to and from the circuit and accommodation for all personnel.

All has to ready by Thursday and Monday is a public holiday in Melbourne.

The miracle of the "fly away" GPs is that by 8.00pm on Sunday all the containers will be repacked (repacking commences during the race) and will be ready for the forklifts which will be at the circuit by 8.00 am Monday. The containers are then shipped to Avalon Airport south of Melbourne and by Monday night are in Sepang in Malaysia.

Third drivers who have their moment of fame on Friday will be on their planes to Europe on Friday night.

The test in Sepang before the Malaysian Grand Prix is a first and imposes yet another logistics burden on the teams as the test teams have to be in place as well as the race teams. It is very rare for both elements of a GP team to be in the same circuit.

So what will the post Schumacher era bring?