2011 Pit Stop League

[jez101]

Autosport is reporting data published by Mercedes analysing the performance of pit crews over the season. Their conclusions were

Average cumulative total for pitstop times from 17 races held so far this year relative to fastest overall time:
1= Red Bull Racing Best
1= Mercedes GP Best
3 McLaren + 0.3s
4 Force India + 0.4s
5 Ferrari + 0.5s
6 Renault + 0.9s
7 Williams + 1.1s
8= Lotus + 1.3s
8= Sauber + 1.3s
8= Toro Rosso + 1.3s
11 Virgin + 1.6s
12 HRT + 3.2s

I read "average cumulative total" as being the amount of time lost per race (3 stops at +0.1s = McLaren's +0.3s), but over on the actual Mercedes site, they describe this as a per stop figure, so this would be Ferrari losing half a second every stop.

However, in order to build a complete picture of pit stop speed, the average pit stop time is more representative. The team calculates this using a method that discounts repair stops, which require different procedures and are not therefore ‘clean’ tyre changes. Additionally, stops carried out under the safety car are ignored if pit lane traffic significantly affected performance.
...
Using the average stop-time calculations, an overall league table can be drawn up, reflecting the consistency in speed of each team.

Whichever, does anyone have any ideas what Merc & RBR do that makes them so much quicker?

 

[Brogan]

I know the Red Bull crew have special gloves with laser targets on the back, which enables them to be in exactly the correct position.

 

[Galahad]

I could more easily believe Ferrari losing 0.5s per stop than per race. I read that Mercedes were using a wheelnut with a very short thread, to reduce fitting times.

 

[RasputinLives]

HRT are losing 3.2s per stop!?! Blimey boys need to sort that out and Toro Rosso need to go spend sometimes with their sister team getting some tips

 

[Jos the Boss]

Im sure the mercedes boys were near or even 1st last year but many said it was because there garage was 1st in line

 

[tooncheese]

Mercedes do something similar to gluing their wheel nuts on, saving a fraction of time.

 

[Slyboogy]

Mercedes have some sort of wheel nut that helps them, they also have the traffic light system along with Renault, not sure why Ferrari haven't brought it back in, not as if their drivers are going to drag a fuel hose down the pitlane with them. Red Bull have a great technique which was shown on the BBC I think, the same with Force India (shown in the F1 Racing mag). Ferrari have very unique front jack which I thought was a fine piece of innovation, it seems to have been copied by another team (can't remember which), but it's quick and efficient, or maybe not, judging by their pitstop times!

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Mercedes' unique wheel nut.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Interesting data. Didn't realize Mercedes were as fast as Red Bull.

HRT are losing 3.2s per stop!?!

Not sure I can recall seeing an HRT pit stop that didn't involve a wing change.

 

[Brogan]

A bit of an old thread but it seems the best place to post this link which is a short BBC news item on pit stops, with input from McLaren and Marussia.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20396345

 

[sushifiesta]

Does the same data exist for 2012 somewhere?