Paddock Equipment

The absolute minimum requirement in your allotted paddock spot would be a tent of some nature. We’ve seen some drivers and teams who don’t use anything, and when the rain comes down hard, the bonnet of a race car is not a pleasant place, nor does it allow the concentration to fix things properly. The simplest and quickest to erect tent is a pop-up awning such as the Gala Shade Pro 50. The size will depend on what it is that you’re driving or riding, and what else you might want to fit inside, but they are available from 3m x 3m up to a vast 4m x 8m structure.

If you’re a professional team with several cars and sponsors to accommodate, the MQ-65 freestanding awning may be more suited. They take a while longer to erect as they’re manufactured using superior aluminium extrusions and 650gsm customisable PVC covers, but they are available up to 6m x 12m and are in use in high profile championships such as the GT World Challenge, which should give an idea of their suitability for teams of any professional level.

Other uses for the pop-up tents in our experience have been as catering, servery, tyre storage and as driver changing rooms. They’re a very versatile product.

One word, Swisstrax. The world’s leading brand of modular flooring is suited to almost any flooring application, but motorsport more than anything else. Each of the Ribtrax or Smoothtrax tiles are non-slip, self-draining, resistant to oils, brake fluids, acids, alkali, high temperatures, low temperatures, and extremely heavy weight. Put simply, they’re world leading for a reason, and this is why we not just supply it, but we ensure we use it at all times whether we’re at the circuit or a trade show like Autosport International.

Motorsport paddocks are notoriously windy places, and the likes of Donington and Cadwell in particular, at the top of steep hills, are a magnet for blustery weather. This means you must always ensure that your awning, whether it’s a pop-up you bought from Gala Performance, or a hard-sided hospitality unit purchased from elsewhere, anchored as best you can.

Our advice is that there seriously is no such thing as too much anchorage. Use 50Kg water weight pyramids, available to buy from Gala Performance, tyres, a vehicle, anything you have to hand to ensure that you’re not damaging yourself, your vehicle or your tent.