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Formula 1 teams are concerned that the air travel chaos caused by the volcanic ash cloud over Europe could affect their plans for the next race.Teams and other personnel face problems returning to Europe from Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix as most flights out of Shanghai have been cancelled.
But the biggest concern is preparing cars for the Spanish race on 9 May.
"We haven't had word from freight yet and we've got to get the cars back," McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh said.
"The cars and equipment have been away for some time and we're looking forward to getting them back in the factories as quickly as possible and servicing the cars properly.
When the airport's open we'll take them home, until that day we'll be staying here
"We have a range of upgrades that we hope to put on for Barcelona that could be chaotic if we don't get the freight back.
"As for the people, they are incredibly resourceful and we'll find a way back, it just might be more tortuous than usual."
Most of the drivers are relaxed about the situation, and McLaren's two English drivers had not planned to return to Europe immediately anyway.
F1 freight is carried on charter flights, with six Boeing 747 'jumbo jets' carrying the cars, so F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone's Formula 1 Management company are not beholden to commercial airlines' decisions on whether to fly to Europe or not.
Asked on BBC One at the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday about the looming problem over the Spanish race, Ecclestone joked: "We'll hold it here."
Alan Woollard, who runs FOM's travel operation, said: "When the airport's open we'll take them home, until that day we'll be staying here. Hopefully we'll get out of here by the end of the week." Red Bull team manager Jonathan Wheatley added: "I've got 76 people here from seven or eight countries and 40,000kg of freight, so I would be lying if I said if I wasn't concerned."
Among the options being explored by teams to get their personnel back to Europe is booking them on the Trans-Siberian railway.
Some journalists have found a route via New York, Portugal, Spain and then a ferry to Britain; another was considering a journey that would involve a train ride to Britain from Turkey.
The UK is enduring a fourth day as a virtual no-fly zone, as the travel chaos caused by volcanic ash drifting from Iceland shows no sign of ending.
Flight restrictions have been extended until at least 1900 BST and forecasters say the ash cloud could remain over the UK for several more days.
The problem is being caused by a continuing eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in southern Iceland, which is pumping volcanic ash high into the atmosphere.
Usually, the prevailing south-westerly wind would take the ash cloud away from Europe and over the polar region, but a high pressure area is bringing it over Europe, where it is sitting and barely moving.This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.