In the past, Formula 1 teams began introducing automated systems to increase the speed of their pit stop. From automated wheel nut guns to new jack systems and car release lighting systems suspended from the gantry above the driver.
It now seems that the FIA have taken a keen interest in slowing these systems down with a new directive released this weekend. As ESPN F1 reported:
A total of “0.15s must separate the moment the wheel nuts are tightened and the moment the car is lowered from its jacks. A further 0.2s must elapse before the driver receives the signal to leave the pits, usually via a traffic light unit suspended above the car.”
The reality of pit stops is that Red Bull lead the grid with a 1.82s stop and some wonder if the FIA are trying to slow them down in particular. Team boss Christian Horner said:
“I think you can see there’s an awful lot of pointed activity in our direction at the moment, but that comes with the territory of being competitive.
“An awful lot of energy is going in to try and slow the car down, which is obviously what happens in a competitive business.
“It’s something that we are used to but not losing too much sleep about.”
The bendy wings, air pressure increase and now the micromanaging of the pit stops. It does make you wonder.
Slow down Red Bull, not MB-AMG? It does suspicious but a bit half-baked. If the FIA wanted to slow down pit stops, just reduce the number of crew around the cars inside the box to half and install pneumatic lift-jacks on the cars like Indycars.
Or even slower IMSA/Sport cars.
I guess they are arguing for safety reasons.