Anatomy of a
Pit Stop
20 people. 4 wheels. 2.5 seconds. It is the ultimate display of teamwork in sports.
Who does what?
A pit crew consists of nearly 20 people, each with a specific job. If one person fails, the whole stop fails.
The Wheel Team (x4)
There is a team of 3 people for each wheel.
- Gunner: Operates the pneumatic wheel gun. Loosens the nut, waits, tightens the nut.
- Tyre Off: Pulls the old wheel off.
- Tyre On: Slides the new wheel on.
The Jacks
Lifting the car into the air.
- Front Jack: Stands in front of the car (brave!) and lifts the nose.
- Rear Jack: Lifts the rear crash structure.
- Side Jacks: Stabilize the car so it doesn't wobble.
The Traffic Light System
There is no "Lollipop Man" anymore. It is all automated.
The light system is connected to the jacks and wheel guns. When all 4 wheel guns signal "tight" and both jacks drop, the light automatically turns GREEN.
However, there is a human controller who can override the light to RED if there is another car coming down the pit lane. This prevents an "Unsafe Release" penalty.
Why Pit Stop Timing Wins Races
In F1, time is distance. At 300 km/h, a car travels 83 meters every second.
Every extra second in the pits = ~83 meters lost on track.
If a pit crew does a slow 4.5-second stop instead of a 2.5-second stop, they have cost their driver 160 meters of track position. That is often the difference between coming out ahead of a rival or stuck behind them in dirty air.
Why do they pit?
Refuelling has been banned since 2010. Today, pit stops are purely for:
- Changing Tyres: Swapping worn tyres for fresh ones.
- Changing Wing Angle: Mechanics can adjust the front wing flap angle (using a drill) to fix understeer/oversteer.
- Serving Penalties: If a driver has a 5-second penalty, the crew must wait 5 seconds before touching the car.