Of the Hungarian Grand Prix continue that SON have announced that they will change the pit stops in order to reduce the level of automation.
Some teams are believed to be using sensors and automated systems to expedite stops, but the FIA wants minimal human reaction times to be taken into account.
This means that there is at least 0.15 seconds from tightening the wheel nut to when the jack is instructed to drop the car on the floor, while another 0.2 seconds elapse between the jacks being lowered and the driver being instructed to drive off. This is considered a safety consideration before a potential problem arises.
Andreas Seidl, the team boss of McLaren F1 team, welcomed the news and said it was important to ensure the safety of the pit crew. He’s also excited to have it introduced before something big happens.
“The safety of our pit crew is one of the most important things for us as a team,” said Seidl from Motorsport.com. “It’s a very competitive battlefield in Formula 1, so I think it’s good to clarify what the FIA expects in order to abide by the rules.
“I don’t think that much would change for us because I would say we’ve always been more conservative here so as not to endanger anyone in the pit crew.
“One reason we welcome the initiatives on the FIA side is that it is also important to anticipate problems or safety issues and not always wait for them to occur and then react,” he said. “We are very satisfied with that.”
The teams now have three races to adapt their systems to the new regulations before they come into effect for the Hungarian race on August 1st.
Horner against rule change: “To see pit stops under two seconds is a remarkable achievement”
A team boss who is against the rule change is Red Bull Racing‘s Christian Hornerwho feel they should aim for faster stops than trying to slow them down.
He also argues that this could potentially lead to more problems in the pit lane as the drivers will be fired a little later than they could have been without the restrictions.
“I think having to stop the car for two tenths of a second could almost be dangerous because you can assess your gaps,” said Horner. “The guy who releases the car has to make that judgment, and I think it’s not well thought out.
“Formula 1 is about innovation and competition. Seeing pit stops under two seconds is a remarkable feat and we should encourage it, not try to control it. Where else does it stop?
“We are told how to go to the garage, where to sit by the pit wall and which buttons to press, I think.
“I find it a little disappointing,” he added. “It is the competitor’s duty to ensure that the car is safe and the penalty for an unrepaired wheel is that you must stop the car immediately.
“So it’s a brutal punishment if you don’t have all four wheels firmly and securely attached. So I am not entirely sure what the technical directive is trying to achieve because I think it is very complex.
“But if you can’t be beaten in a competitive situation, then of course the most logical thing to do is for your competitors to try to slow you down, and that’s exactly what happens here, of course.”
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