Limiting Pit Crew Number?

Limiting pit crew men, yes or no?

  • Yes

    Votes: 9 36.0%
  • No

    Votes: 16 64.0%

  • Total voters
    25

LifeW12

Podium Finisher
I've been thinking about this for years and its time to suggest it, given the massive changes next year.

In light of various moments in pit lanes we have seen in the last few years (Kubica @ Hungary, Nurburgring 2013, Kimi @ Brazil 2009) and the lightening fast pit "stops" with very few errors, almost taking away the variable of stopping, should F1 limit the number of men that are allowed to work on a car that is past the red line in the pit lane?

I think about 22 people work on the car at the moment, I think that its time that F1 limits this to just over half that, I think 13 is a good number imo (considering that most don't do anything anyway).

You can have 2 per wheel (giving 8), two jackmen (giving 10), 2 @ the back with the starter motor (giving 12) plus an extra for anything needed (such as a steering wheel change). Firemen don't count in the limit and are not allowed to touch anything involved with the car unless a fire occurs.

I think having less people working on the car, 1. makes for a safer pit lane overall with less people wandering around and 2. adds that extra element of a well drilled pit crew with less men.

You can keep the twisting jacks and no lollypop man. But make it a rule that you can't touch the car until its come to a complete stop.
 
I vote 'no'. It's a community service that employs people who would otherwise be out on the street stealing our car wheels!
I think it's about right as it is. Space limits how many people can work on the car at any one time anyway and the spectacle of super-quick pit stops is a good one.
 
In Nascar one crew (two men) has to change change all four wheels (I think). That could be fun.
 
You're showing off now The Pits!

I think we should make it more 'real worldly'. Firstly the wheelnuts should be tightened so tight that the pit crew need to rig up a fence-post lever onto the socket wrench. Secondly their tools should be not-quite-perfect and include a big hammer that can be resorted to. And copious quantities of WD40 & Plus Gas.
 
More seriously, the speed of current pit stops don't have any effect on the race but then if every crew was limited and instead of 3 seconds or less it took 10 seconds wouldn't it be a nil sum gain as everyone would have the same time penalty (except McLaren who would, doubtless, fail to attach one of the wheels properly at at least 3 races per season).

I would prefer to see the option of running with a pit stop or tyres which could last a whole race and then see if there would be different strategies. Perhaps this, combined with slower pit stops, would make a difference.
 
I think this is a good idea, with just one proviso:

Red Bull are only allowed 5 pit crew (1 jack & 4 wheel men), whereas everyone else is allowed 2 men per wheel...oh, and Mr Newey is not allowed to redesign any of the pit equipment! :p

That ought to level the field slightly...:whistle:

(Edit - I've had an even better idea - the Red Bull pit crew can be the same as everyone else, but one of the wheels has to be served by Ted Kravitz and Natalie Pinkham, while they report on the pit stop at the same time)
 
Last edited:
I don't want any limits on pit stops. F1 is meant to be about being the best. That means the fastest pit stops possible in my book. Plus if they are trying to go faster and faster thats when errors happen and that makes racing exciting.

Let them have as many people and as much tech as they want.
 
In that video it took over four seconds to change all four wheels. Even Marussia can beat that.

One per wheel, two on the jacks, one on the lollypop, one looking up the pit lane, one looking down the pit lane. Only the jack and wheel men allowed to touch the car. If the engine needs restarting any one of those six can do it (drivers shouldn't be stalling the cars anyway. Only my wife is allowed to do that).
 
There are far to many blokes flapping around at pit stops at the moment, I think that every other race they should have all female pit crews, that would really scare them all.
smiley-char005.gif
 
They already limit the number of people who can work on the car. Only "60 operational personnel" are permitted in the paddock during the conduct of the race. :whistle:

I don't think reducing the number of pit crewmen will improve safety because, as is, each crewmember has a very limited and specific role. Having to multitask would cause them to be even more harried in the performance of their duties.

In Nascar one crew (two men) has to change change all four wheels (I think). That could be fun.
NASCAR limits the number of men "over the wall" to six (IIRC, reduced from seven in 2011). Adding a full can of fuel takes longer than a tyre change so unless it's a "splash 'n dash," only five men to tend to jacks and tyres.
 
Not for me, the spectacle of the super fast pit stops are one of the (few?) things I like about the current regulations. Also, slowing down pit stops favours strategies with fewer pit stops and makes it even more of a benefit to trundle around nursing the tyres... again that's not for me.
 
I think that standardising the equipment would be a start, including the wheel retaining nuts, possibly wheels, jacks etc, and designing a mechanism to prevent the car from moving if the wheel nuts are not on properly. I do agree with many that the pit stops are a skill that those who perform better deserve the advantage, but the money they spend on kit is ridiculous.
 
It is an interesting idea but I went with No in the end as it would slow the pit stops.down for everyone and make no difference. Plus F1 should be about being the best so lets see how fast they can get.

Add to that the jobs that would be lost if the rule came in and its a no from me.

Interesting idea though.

Along the same lines why not ban tyre warmers? That way it truely would be a driver skill to bring them up to tempreture and judge how to use them when they first get them. Ban them on the grid beforehand too.
 
Back
Top Bottom