 Lolly-pop man: The lolly-pop man stands in the pit-lane level with the back of the pit box. As the driver arrives, the lolly-pop man indicates where the driver should turn in. He then runs round to the front of the car, showing "BRAKES" to the driver, to remind him to keep his foot on the brakes to prevent the wheels spinning as the nuts are removed. When the wheels have been replaced, the lolly-pop man turns the lolly-pop over showing "1st GEAR" to indicate to the drive to select first gear, ready to leave the pit box. As the fuel nozzle is removed, the lolly-pop man raises his lolly-pop and the driver departs. The lolly-pop man must also check for on-coming traffic in the pit-lane, but due to the fractions-of-a-second involved in a stop, will usually let the car go and the driver must avoid an accident with any other car. The lolly-pop man is also responsible for timing a 10-second stop-go penalty, during which the car cannot be worked on. |
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 Jacks: There are two jack men, one at the front and one at the back. The front jack man stands in position at the front of the pit box, with the jack ready in position so when the driver stops, it is under the front wing. The rear jack man stands to the side, ready to run round the back of the car and position the jack into hooks mounted in the rear wing supports. Both jack men lean back to raise the car. This can be before or after the fuel nozzle is attached depending on team preference. The car is only raised about 10cm to minimise raising and lowering time. After the wheels have been changed, the car is gently lowered to avoid jarring the fuel nozzle. The front jack man moves to the side of the car to allow for a clear get away. The rear jack man remains in position, and is joined by another crew member ready with a starter in case the driver stalls the engine. The car would need to be raised to restart it, as the starter is connected to the gearbox and left in gear to drive the engine. The driver selects neutral and the car is lowered again ready for another attempted get away. |
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 Refuel: Refuelling strategy can determine the outcome of the race, so this is the single most important aspect of a normal pit-stop. An aviation standard hose and connection are used by all teams, supplied to the same specification. The fuel hose is comprised of two hoses, with the fuel carried in the internal hose, and exhausted air exiting around the outside, within the external hose. This makes the hose complete with fuel, stiff and heavy, so the bulk of the weight is carried by a secondary refueller. The nozzle has three internal levers which must be activated together to open the nozzle. This means the nozzle must be placed square to the cars filler. The first forward action of the main refuelling man opens the exhaust valve to let air out of the fuel tank, the second action allows the fuel to flow. A flow meter shows the refueller how much fuel has entered the car. When the required amount has been dispensed, the nozzle is pulled back. The first movement closes the fuel valve, and the second closes the exhaust. The refuellers then move back, clear of the car. Some teams employ a third member to push against the car from the other side to balance the thrust of the refueller. |
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 Tyres: Each corner of the car uses three crew members to change the tyres. The gunman kneels in position ready for the car to stop with the centre of the wheel in front of him. A pneumatic gun is then placed on the single centre nut. This action releases the safety clip to prevent the nut from coming undone during the race, and the wheel leaving the car. This is done while the car is being raised. Another crew member will be holding the wheel and remove it when the nut is undone. A second crew member stands the other side of the gunman ready with the fresh wheel and tyre assembly. As the gunman leans back away from the wheel being removed, the crew member with the new wheel steps forward, placing the wheel on the axle. The wheel may need rotating a few degrees to locate studs that enable the wheel to turn the front axle and brakes, or engine to turn the rear wheels. The gunman mean while moves a lever to reverse the rotation of the gun. The gun with the nut seated in it is placed on the axle and tightened. The gunman removes the gun from the nut and pulls out the safety pin to re-engage the mechanism. He then lifts the gun above his head to indicate that he has finished. This process takes a total 6 to 8 seconds. |
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 Extras: Formula One teams are not limited on the number of crew allowed to work on the car during a pit-stop. With the introduction of top exiting exhausts, there is a serious safety concern with the fuel nozzle in such close proximity. A board is placed on the car between the fuel filler and the exhaust, and is contoured to the cars bodywork. This provides minimal protection against a fire should fuel leak onto the car during a pit-stop. Extra crew members are placed at the sidepod entrance to reach in and remove debris from the radiators to prevent overheating and engine failure. These crew are pulled from their positions just as the car is about to leave the pit box. Other members may be employed to clean the drivers visor during a stop. A cloth with cleaner fluid on one side and is wiped across the visor. The cloth then is turned over to dry the visor. Another crew member stands at the back of the car ready with the electric starter should the driver stall. |
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| Summary: A total of 21-23 crew are usually present at a pit-stop. They all work in unison to service the car in 8-14 seconds, depending on fuel load. Fuel strategy can determine the outcome of a race, and pit-stops can ruin a driver's race if they go wrong. The crew is also responsible for changing the front wing and nose assembly should this be needed. They also check suspension components after an accident and determine if the car is safe to continue. Pit-stops are a flurry of activity, and once the individual aspects are understood, the pit-stop as a whole can be appreciated. |
