With the sport of F1 becoming a global phenom, entering the sport as a driver isn’t the only career path one can aim for. Being a part of a team’s pit crew is another path one can opt for, and the role is becoming an increasingly valued position in any F1 team. Speaking about the same, Red Bull representatives reveal what it takes to be a part of the best pit crew on the grid.
While some may look at a pitstop as merely changing a car’s tires, in reality, it is much more than that. A pit stop’s speed can often determine the outcome of a race, with drivers finishing as close as 0.05 seconds behind one another. As such, a pit stop of 2.0 seconds can give a driver a huge advantage as opposed to one that lasts 2.1 seconds.
Alav como que $3,500 una llanta?? Me la va poner el pit crew de redbull o que pedo? pic.twitter.com/X0ghvYxwB2
— Sorcerer Supreme ۞ (@adanbfmv) December 8, 2023
For the last six years, the Red Bull team has been committed to chasing perfection, and no other team even comes close to the pace and consistency of the Milton Keynes crew. Talking about what it takes to become a part of the crew, Red Bull’s Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley detailed the team’s hiring process while appearing on the Talking Bull podcast on the official YouTube channel of Oracle Red Bull Racing.
“We tend to look at people within our traveling crew. We look at their body shape, their physique- how they move. We’ve got a clinical management team here that helps identify people that might be good for certain roles.”, said Wheatley.
Wheatly asserted the need for the crew to travel as being a part of the crew wouldn’t make much sense otherwise. He also revealed that there is a day-to-day coaching crew that works with the pit crew and identifies roles for people they might feel comfortable in.
They also ensure the entire process is as smooth and as fast as it can be. Furthermore, the pit crew undergoes various pressure tests to check their pressure-handling skills and make sure they don’t choke.
The Red Bull pit crew has been at the top of their game for the last six years
2023 marked a year of total domination by the Red Bull team, a feat which extended to the pit crew as well. The highly competitive nature of pit stops was on peak display in 2023, with teams breaking the sub-2 second barrier four times this season.
The feat becomes even more impressive when one realizes the F1 cars are using 18-inch tires by Pirelli, which make for the crews moving as much as 42kgs (tire rubber included) in the blink of an eye.
Another record! Red Bull has just completed the first-ever pit stop in complete darkness. Dubbed the ‘Pitch Black Pit Stop’, a time of 2.84s was registered on the 10th attempt by a pit crew of 22 → https://t.co/eiSjI0bE5v pic.twitter.com/m1rb69Wbfc
— Top Gear (@BBC_TopGear) December 15, 2023
F1 sponsors, DHL, awards points to a team for their quickness and consistency during the pit stops throughout the season. Having topped the charts since 2018, Red Bull was once again at the top of the rankings in 2023, scoring 543 points. Ferrari finished 2nd with 468 points, while a tally of 418 points meant McLaren would take home the bronze medal.
