Following a request from Mercedes, the FIA introduced new rules at least three weeks ago to slow down the pit stops of Formula 1 teams.
However, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said he did not know whether her request led to the revision of the rules announced yesterday for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
“We asked the FIA about a safety mechanism that relates to a system we are using and whether it could be optimized,” said Wolff. “That happened, I would say, three or four weeks ago and it was a technology issue.
“Did that trigger something else? Maybe, I don’t know, but we asked ourselves this question. “
An updated technical guideline stipulates minimum reaction times for mechanics in certain phases of the pit stop and calls for a delay of 0.2 seconds between the end of the pit stop and the release of the car.
“It’s interesting to see because there has to be a reason this TD shows up and I’m not one hundred percent sure,” said Wolff. “Operating the wheel cannon and clearing the car is a highly complex matter.”
The rule revision, which will come into force in three races, has sparked controversy. Mercedes championship rival Red Bull has made the fastest pit stops throughout this season, winning the French Grand Prix last week by maneuvering Max Verstappen to the top with a well-timed and quick pit stop.
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Wolff said the rules revision targeted a potential area where security could be improved. “Of course we are all ready for the competition on the team because it is a competitive field, but there is also the safety argument,” he said.
Mercedes made its pit stops with an extra margin to reduce the possibility of a car with a loose wheel being sent out of the pit box, Wolff said.
“You will always put everything in your pit stops so that you avoid the wheel simply coming off or falling off because the damage is enormous.
“In the past, we were mandated to make sure this didn’t happen, and that also meant that some breakers were in the system in such a way that this could never happen. And that slows you down during the pit stops. But that was our own decision, it had nothing to do with others.
“A quick pit stop is nice to have and they look cool, but I’m not 100% sure there is such a big feature because we are talking about a tenths or two on average, we are not talking about the slowest or the fastest Box “stops. It will be interesting to see [what] that comes and what was the basis. “
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Grand Prix of Styria 2021
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