The collision between the two Mercedes cars at the Spanish Grand Prix has resulted in over 1,000 parts being checked or replaced ahead of next weekend's race in Monaco.
Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg crashed into each other on the opening lap while battling for the lead of the Spanish Grand Prix, resulting in both cars retiring from the race. The accident left the two cars significantly damaged and the team back at the factory in Brackley has been working flat-out to repair them in time for their departure to Monaco on Monday.
"We could see from the impact that there was a lot of damage and it was going to come back to us," Mercedes chief operating officer Rob Thomas told the team's YouTube channel. "When the cars came back into the garage at the circuit a lot of analysis was going on, a lot of phone calls and photographs come back to us, and what we got from the circuit was a quarantine list [of damaged parts] because our first priority is to make sure the car is going to be safe.
"This quarantine list lists all the parts that, if you like, are suspect. On the list this time there were over 1,000 parts - 1,200 parts - that came back to us, either damaged, quarantined or needing some sort of work."
Once the parts return to the factory they are tested for structural integrity or cracks to decide whether they are fit for use or need further repairs. Thomas said the team then prioritises the parts needed for safety over performance.
"1,000 parts will get looked at in about 24 hours and that will tell us our workload and from that point either we go out to our suppliers and say we need parts very quickly or our in-house departments get fully on it. The planning and organisation is a huge challenge for us and that's where the team excels.
"It's all about compromise and making quick decisions. The number one priority is making sure the car is safe, so we take care of the class-A parts, things like the suspension and those parts have to be correct, so we put a priority onto them.
"After that we look at the performance parts, and of course, we know we've got a pretty competitive car. So everybody is massively motivated to make sure we get these performance parts together, and we go in the best possible condition to the circuit."