Formula 1 is arguably one of the most popular and valuable sports in the world. These skills are considered paramount in Formula 1 pit stops: teamwork, communication and coordination to maximise success
Aside from being categorised among the richest sports in the world, it has become the most followed sport in the world, with numerous fans emerging from different parts of the world. According to various online sources, here are some of the fastest pit stop records since inception.
A pitstop is a momentary stop for a racing car, away from the main racing track, for refuelling, changing tires, or both. Pitstops are needed if racing cars cannot carry the full fuel load required to last the entire race distance. Besides, racing cars accelerate so fast and brake so hard that the tires wear out quickly.
The deteriorated tires lack grip and hence slow down the car. The tires are changed at pre-defined intervals so the cars can continue racing without a drop in performance.
10. Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen went through a lot of highs and lows in 2021. In that year’s F1 Bahrain GP, one of the highs for him was notching up the fastest pitstop of the season and the fifth fastest pitstop of all time!
That season, the Red Bull driver finally had a car capable of fighting for the title. The team also brought its A-Game as he was serviced in just 1.93 seconds. It didn’t help him win though, as he finished the race in second place, but it still laid down the marker for the rest of the season.
9. Felipe Massa
Early in the Turbo-Hybrid era, Williams was making all the right moves. The team arguably had the second fastest car in the 2014 season. The Grove-based squad would maintain this level of competitiveness over the next couple of years.
Another area where the team excelled more than others was putting together spectacular pitstops. One of them was in Baku in 2016 where their driver Felipe Massa was serviced in just 1.93 seconds. It was a novelty at the time that made everyone in the paddock stand up and take notice of what the team was doing.
8. Pierre Gasly
Despite this, it’s fair to say that the team still did its part as the 2019 F1 British GP saw Gasly getting his pitstop out of the way in just 1.91 seconds. The stop helped propel him to P4 in the race in a season where there weren’t too many bright spots for the French driver.
7. Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen’s performance at the 2019 F1 German GP is remembered by many as a wet weather masterclass. What many forget, however, is that it was in this very race where his team stood out in terms of strategy as well as pitstops. The Red Bull driver was serviced in just 1.88 seconds, something that ultimately helped him beat Lewis Hamilton and secure the win.
6. Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen’s victory at the 2019 F1 Brazilian GP is remembered by everyone. The Red Bull driver dominated the race and overtook Lewis Hamilton twice before securing the win. What is often forgotten in all of this is the role the pitstop unit played as it saved the best for the day their driver needed it the most.
In a season where Red Bull continued to break barriers in terms of pitstop times, the team peaked in Brazil where it serviced the Dutch driver in just 1.82 seconds. This made it the fastest pitstop ever in the history of the sport.
5. Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian is one of the highest-paid race-car drivers of all time. On his first pit stop on Lap 27, new tyres were installed in a time of 1.97 seconds, changing the whole season in less than two seconds. Vettel and the team achieved one of the fastest pit stops in Formula 1 with unforgettable coordination and later won four world championships.
4. Mark Webber
Mark Webber, an Australian-based retired professional racing driver, competed in Formula 1 from 2002 to 2013 and the FIA World Endurance Championship between 2014 and 2016. His fame skyrocketed following his race with Sebastian Vettel, driver of Red Bull Racing when he stopped after the 29th lap in 1.923 seconds.
3. Felipe Massa
If there was one time Williams Formula 1 witnessed one of F1’s fastest pit stop records, it was during the Grand Prix of Europe, when the pit crew replaced tires in historical time. Felipe’s team achieved fine art precision after Felipe Massa reached their pit box within 1.92 seconds.
2. Pierre Gasly
Pierre from Red Bull took the shortest possible time. Upon completion, his teammates were the heroes of the day, and Pierre drove away in just 1.91 seconds. It later became record-breaking and a great achievement for him and his team.
Pierre Gasly’s coordination and swift performance brought about reactions from his fans, supporters, and management as he had recorded such good performances.
1. Max Verstappen
The holder of the world’s record for the fastest pit stop, Max Verstappen, is renowned as Formula 1’s best guru of all time. He became the centre of attention when he passed Lewis Hamilton twice on the circuit to secure his eighth F1 victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix in November 2019.
Max Verstappen has become a sought-after personality to the point that the only name that comes to mind is Verstappen whenever the sport is mentioned. To date, no one has managed to beat his 1.82-second record. One specific thing about the F1 pit stop record is that it requires more than just stopping, changing tyres, and accelerating away. Some of the skills that really matter are absolute precision, split-second decisions, perfect teamwork and much more.