Posted on 08/08/2016 10:14:01 AM PDT by navysealdad
Formula One pit stop is much more than just stopping, changing tyres and accelerating away. Absolute precision, perfect teamwork and split-second decisions are needed for a smooth pit stop. Pit stops are possibly the most visual evidence of why Formula One racing is a team sport.
(Excerpt) Read more at angelfire.com ...
Jus. . .’dang!!
I worked for a company that sponsored a NASCAR team for one season. I watched a race from the mechanics box in the pits.
I’m a big NASCAR fan so it was a unique opportunity to see the pit stop dance up close. It was incredible.
Tires only, no fuel, and 20 people over the wall at the same time, all prepositioned. Plus an overhead rack for the air wrench hoses for the far side, so no worry about getting a penalty for running over a hose.
Even so, pretty amazing choreography.
Are those Lego wheels?
You still gotta get the tires out first...
http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/red-bull-tire-snafu-hands-monaco-grand-prix-win-to-lewi-1779392903
I’m not impressed.
They didn’t even wash the windshield.
Change the oil.
8<)
I notice that most teams don’t use those ‘Speed Racer’ style pneumatic under-car jacks anymore.
If you don’t follow F1, you can’t imagine the technical complexity of an F1 pit stop. You could run a minor NASCAR team for what the top-tier F1 teams spend just on pit stops.
The jacks alone cost upwards of $400,000 ...EACH (250k British pounds, probably includes developmental costs). They’re mostly titanium and carbon fiber, and to remove the delay caused by the jack man’s reaction time when dropping the car, the jacks are radio-linked so the car is dropped automatically when the pit boss switches on the green light on the “lollipop,” the signal to the driver that the car is okay to leave.
The wheel guns are made by Dino Paoli and cost about $2000 in stock configuration, before the team’s customize them. They used to run on compressed helium because a lighter gas will spin the gun faster. But now nitrogen is mandatory.
The wheel gun man practices tracking the lug nut as the car approaches the pit box, like a skeet shooter tracking a bird in flight, and ideally he has the gun jammed on the nut and has begun loosening it before the car comes to a complete stop.
The wheels are magnesium. Most are sourced from BBS or Oz. They’re so delicate, only the wheel manufacturer is allowed to mount tires on them.
These are a bit dated but still have good info:
Autosport Analysis: the secrets of a two-second F1 pitstop
http://bit.ly/2b8sBTc
F1 Wheel Gun & Wheel Nut
http://bit.ly/2b8uAH2
Frankly, I find an 8-second NASCAR wheel change more impressive, because 1) there’s a limit to the number of people you can have over the wall, 2) each wheel has five times as many fasteners as an F1 car wheel, and 3) there’s nothing they use that you can’t buy from Jeg’s or Summit.
No Green Stamps either. It’s gonna take that driver forever to get his toaster.
They're not allowed under F1 rules.
Obviously not union mechanics getting paid by the hour,.,,,,,
Takes me longer just to get out of the car......
Maybe it was on Indy cars where I saw them. Not sure now if they still get used there.
Pep Boys will do this in 6+ hours......
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