F1 | Red Bull proves itself with rocket-fast pit stops
The Austrian Formula 1 team proved to be once again the fastest team when it comes to pit stops. In Russia they amazed again with a 1"86 during Max Verstappen's pit stop.
For years Red Bull has been known for its fast pit stop.
During the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix, the Red Bull mechanics had broken the previous record of the fastest pit stop in history from 1"88, established during the Germany Grand Prix on Max Verstappen's car, lowering it by 6 cents and bringing it to 1"82.
Thanks to these timely stops, the Red Bull team of mechanics won the DHL Fastest Pit Stop Award twice in a row, defending the title.
Apparently things don't seem to have changed in 2020.
This is @redbullracing at their very best! 💪
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 28, 2020
They took the DHL Fastest Pit Stop Award at the #RussianGP with this effort of 1.86 seconds, the fastest of 2020 so far
View the full standings here ➡️ https://t.co/zw3OQJXiM3@DHL_Motorsports #MomentsThatDeliver pic.twitter.com/J071Qpgcv2
During the race held last Sunday at the Sochi track in Russia, Red Bull Racing once again made sparks during the pit stops.
A former McLaren mechanic, Marc Priestley, said in a YouTube video: “They operate within the same rules as everyone else, they practice a lot like everyone else. But the amount and the way you practice makes a difference,
“They look for everything where to find time to pick up and they can design the kit for the pit stops themselves. The shape of the wheel gun, the way it works… it's all designed in-house.”
According to the former mechanic, what could make a difference are the in-house designed parts.
“The teams are also looking for more efficient options here. This also includes innovations such as how quickly the wheelgun clicks on the nut, how efficient the light system is and the driver also plays a role. Because, how good is he at stopping at the exact spot?” continued Priestley.
It seems that the laser is Red Bull's trump card.
“Red Bull uses - they were the first, but maybe others are using it now - lasers, they were a pioneer. They have lasers hanging over the car that fire signals to every corner of the car and the point where the lasers intersect, that's where the wheelgun should be placed.
“So before the car arrives, you have the wheel gun at exactly the right height. It's a small detail, but it helps you in the placement. This can save a hundredth of a second and those kinds of details make a difference. Red Bull apparently have that completely in order. Everything is reliable and it is fast.” explained Priestley.
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