During his seven-year role as race team co-ordinator for the former Jordan Grand Prix Formula One outfit, he would have left the weekend before the Monte Carlo street event, driving one of the team's five transporter trucks, each 16m long.
Donaldson (30), who has recently returned to live in Dunedin, would have been responsible for filling every space in each truck with the appropriate part or tool.
Getting the precious cargo of three complete race cars, plus a fourth chassis, and all the mechanical equipment to the trans-Europe destination was a multimillion-dollar freighting exercise, he said.
And the logistics increased on arrival at the tiny principality.
The majority of Grands Prix would see three of the trucks parked out the back of the team's garage but the Monaco race's location in the streets meant space was at a premium.
Even getting to the pits was a challenge, Donaldson said.
"Monaco is just a nightmare. To drive a truck around it is just horrendous. Grand Prix weekend means everyone with a Ferrari from Europe descends there."
Everything had to be unloaded from the trucks into the temporary garage - normally a three-day task - before the crew decamped to more affordable accommodation in the nearby town of Menton.
Come race day, the logistics crew would be transformed into a pit crew, charged with keeping the cars fuelled and running on fresh tyres.
Before he left the team Donaldson manned the 35kg fuel nozzle, which pumps 12 litres of petrol a second into the tank, during the six to eight-second pit stops.
During his last three years, Jordan had a trio of ownership changes from MF1 Racing in 2006, to Spyker F1 for 2007 and Force India in 2008.
"For us, it was just like a colour change," Donaldson said of the different uniforms they wore, with each change of owner.
