Most people assume Shell's involvement with the Formula One World Champions is limited to product supply and the support of specialist engineers in the Ferrari garage at every race, but in fact Shell also operates a huge logistics operation based at its facilities at Thornton, in Cheshire, UK. An experienced team works behind the scenes ensuring Ferrari is continually supplied with the fuels and lubricants that powered it to last both of year's World Championships. Darren, however, is hardly your quintessential "trucker." While for many, the job of road haulage is one of continual road driving; Darren also has to ensure the safe delivery and distribution of Shell's fuels and lubricants at the track throughout the race weekend.

"I think I spend about two days at home a month on average during the European season," says Darren, shortly before setting off for the Nurburgring, "I will arrive at the track late on Tuesday and then I usually leave the following Monday, either going directly to the next race or coming back to Thornton to fill up the truck before heading back out to the next track."

"We arrive at or near the track on the Tuesday night before the race so we can be park up on Wednesday morning and give the truck a good wash down to make it look smart for the race weekend. I'll probably spend the rest of the weekend polishing the truck on and off, but at least I don't have to polish the inside of the exhaust pipes, like some teams! Once the truck is parked in the fuel compound, a special area of the paddock reserved for the teams' fuel and lubricant suppliers, Darren gets to setting up shop for the weekend. He has just taken delivery of a brand new truck, and ensures that it is positioned for optimum paddock access because it's going to be "quite a busy weekend." Shell's Technical Specialist, Tobias Tasche, generally arrives at the track later on Wednesday and together with Darren, his first priority is ensuring everything is in order and the fuel has arrived safely.

On Thursday, the teams are usually occupied with setting up. FIA safety regulations state fuel can only be delivered before 0930 and after 1800, and once Darren has met with Ferrari to discuss fuel requirements for that each day, he has to arrange for the agreed amount and type of fuel and lubricants to be delivered before the deadline.

"Inevitably, there's always some fuel that needs to be delivered at the end of the day too, so I always have to be on hand throughout the weekend. I know I can't deliver any fuel after 0930 each morning, so if I have a lot to do, I'll often be at the track at four or five in the morning and not leave until eight that evening." But surely Darren has a great opportunity to watch some of the best racing in the world at first hand once his deliveries are done?

"Not really! Teams can get special permission to have fuel delivered to their garages during the day in special circumstances, so I have to be available all day in case Ferrari need additional Shell fuel or lubricant."

The Canadian Grand Prix offered Darren a chance for a break, as fuel for the long distance races is specially air freighted from Cheshire before the race. Fresh from trips to Austria, Spain and Monaco, he took the opportunity to have a week away, but leaves for Germany knowing he will not be back in England until after the French Grand Prix in two week's time.

In three months time, Darren will have driven his truck over 45,000 km through Europe, although he insists that the driving is the easiest part of the job. "Because I'm carrying hazardous goods in the truck, my speed limit is 80kms/hour so the driving is just a case of putting the radio on and concentrating on the road ahead." Most of the driving is easy; the lack of border controls within the EU makes light work of crossing between countries.

At some stage, you have to ask yourself why Darren does this job. It ruins his social life, is physically exhausting and puts him under enormous pressure at each race, so why has he been doing the job for five years?

"I've worked with lots of teams in the past, but Ferrari and Shell really have a special relationship. Working with Ferrari is a bit different to what I've done before. I've never worked with an Italian team and the culture in the team is very different to what I've been used to with the English teams. After Michael (Schumacher)'s win in Spain this year, the team invited me into the garage for a glass of champagne. I hadn't known them long, but they made me feel a part of the winning partnership."

"My partner's not too happy about me being away so much, but I'm due to work for Shell for another three years and as long as it continues like this, I'm more than happy. The hours are unsociable but that's par for the course. Being a technical partner to the World Champions isn't easy!"

Look out for Darren on the motorways of Europe this summer; you can't miss his Shell truck with the Ferrari logo on one side. If you do see him, give him a wave - you can be sure his journey is longer than yours.