CHAPMAN FREEBORN JOINS BLACKBOOK MOTORSPORT

The air charter specialist becomes part of the business network for international motorsport, deepening its ties with Formula 1, NASCAR and MotoGP teams that run on tight schedules.

International charter broker Chapman Freeborn has joined BlackBook Motorsport, a global network bringing together stakeholders from Formula 1, NASCAR, MotoGP and other areas of international motorsport. BlackBook connects teams, manufacturers, circuits and suppliers through industry insights, direct introductions and events; for Chapman Freeborn, membership provides an opportunity to build closer relationships with the decision-makers responsible for moving teams around the world and to better understand their operational challenges throughout the racing calendar.

“Every race starts at a fixed time, and everyone involved needs to be in place well before then. Aviation works to the same kind of deadline every day, so motorsport is a natural fit for us. Through the BlackBook community, we can engage directly with the decision-makers responsible for team travel, better understand how their requirements change throughout the season and respond quickly when schedules shift,” said Andy Hutchinson, Chapman Freeborn’s UK Director of Passenger Charter.

MOVING PEOPLE ACROSS THE RACING CALENDAR

High speed and high stakes extend beyond the track. A driver or team principal might be at the factory one day and at a sponsor event the next, and private jets provide the flexibility to travel according to their own schedules and land closer to the circuit. In 2026, Chapman Freeborn arranged flights for Formula 1 teams, drivers and engineers travelling between races and team headquarters, movements that often need to accommodate changing schedules, passenger numbers and operational requirements while ensuring key personnel arrive in time for fixed commitments. The company’s guide to motorsport charters highlights locations such as Nice Cote d’Azur, about 30 kilometres from Monaco, and the small airport next to the Le Mans circuit, and it says a charter can be arranged within three to four hours of confirmation.

When an entire crew is on the move, a group charter keeps the team together and reduces the risk of missed connections, while giving travel managers greater control over departure times, baggage requirements and last-minute schedule changes.

“I’ve spent over 15 years organising travel for Formula 1 teams, and it’s a constant whirlwind. Every race on the calendar is a separate trip to plan, usually to a different country. Dates and passenger numbers often change while a trip is still being organised, so we have to adjust quickly without losing track of the details. For a team to move smoothly through a full season, its travel manager needs one point of contact who knows how it operates and can fix a problem before it reaches the travelling staff,” said Gary Vaughan, Passenger Charter Broker at Chapman Freeborn.

CARS, PARTS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN

According to the organisers of the Miami Grand Prix, every Formula 1 team transports about 50 tonnes of equipment to each race. For long-haul events, most of this freight is flown in on freighters such as the Boeing 747, while less time-sensitive items travel by sea. These shipments are planned months in advance, but even the strongest plans can be disrupted: in March 2026, Formula 1 confirmed that the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix would not take place in April because of the ongoing situation in the Middle East, and the Bahrain Grand Prix was subsequently held in Malaysia in October, illustrating how quickly teams and logistics partners may need to adapt.

Individual parts can create their own problems, particularly when a component is damaged during a race weekend or an upgrade causes delays at the factory. Chapman Freeborn’s automotive cargo team charters aircraft for shipments ranging from small parts to complete vehicles, and also arranges on-board couriers who carry urgent components as accompanied baggage. Next Flight Out, a service launched in May 2026, provides a quote within 15 minutes and offers departure within 24 hours of pickup; for shorter distances the company has also used helicopters, including an AS355 that delivered urgent spare parts to a customer’s factory in Frankfurt in 2024, landing in a neighbouring car park converted into a temporary helipad.

By joining BlackBook Motorsport, Chapman Freeborn said it aims to bring its cargo, private jet and group travel expertise closer to teams, manufacturers and other industry partners, while gaining a deeper understanding of the operational challenges they face throughout the racing calendar.

Note : Chapman Freeborn, with more than 50 years of experience, is part of Avia Solutions Group, which it describes as the world’s largest ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance) provider, operating a fleet of 136 aircraft and parent to more than 250 subsidiaries supported by 11,000 aviation professionals across six continents.

Source and Images: Chapman Freeborn (Avia Solutions Group)