Everyone whom even once watched the struggle on F1 tracks knows - sometimes the winner is separated from the won by the tenth, and even the centiseconds. Everybody knows about the great importance of each pit-stop: after all sometimes overtakings and destiny of rally are made exactly on pit lane, but not on the track. We will try to understand more in detail what occurs during these short stops.
A team has ten seconds to change the rubber and to refuel the car during a pit-stop. Ten seconds, during which it is necessary to execute set of the operations, some of them are obvious to spectators, others - are sometimes imperceptible, but are not less important. Forty seconds prior to pit-stop mechanics - on the average 30 persons - leave boxes and start to prepare standard procedure which they hone from forty to sixty times during a weekend. If on Friday and Saturday it is possible to say about routine but during the race the team works under improbable pressure when not only racer's result, but also success of all team's hard work depends on a small delay or an error!
The pit-stop's beginning:
0 "00
The racer:
"Stopping in boxes I look at mechanics' feet to not touch them even casually. I have to drive in exactly in the middle of the service zone, true, from a cockpit the racer does not see a marking - an interlacing of hands, feet and hoses greatly interfere, but the mechanics serving fore tires, put out their hands precisely on a line where there should be a front axle. Others have their hands taken away - this is my guiding line. I approach to the boxes, press the button of mid-gear and in the fullness of time I pull the brake. Early stop is a catastrophe, it is necessary to move and to stop again, here it is necessary to do everything precisely".

The manager:
"We try, that after free races the layer of the used rubber was formed near boxes, it improves coupling with the track, dynamics of braking and the subsequent start. The maximum accuracy is important - when the racer drives in to the service place, the mechanic serving a right rear wheel inserts pneumatic nut runner actually before the car has completely stopped".

One second and three quarters:
At this moment front and rear nut runners are in nests, the hose of the refuelling car is connected.
The lead mechanic:
"As soon as the car has stopped, I look at a hose of the refuelling car - if it is precisely opposite to a tank and the tank is opened, everything is good. Refuelling - is the longest procedure on pit-stop, it takes from six to ten seconds, and mechanics if there are no problems, change tires during four seconds. The most important thing during this moment -is the opened tank lid and connection with the hose of the fuel car".

Refueler:
"Guys help to hold the hose - it weighs more than forty kilograms and without assistance I will have problems with connection. Mechanics watch my feet - I make a step aside, they make a step aside, I go forward, they go forward - like in ballet. We connect the hose and the moment it is fixed, automated mechanisms switch on the pump. The green bulb - the system is ready, yellow - the car is refuelling, red - refuelling is ended".

3.5'':
The lead mechanic:
"On a course of the race engineers ask the racer about balance of the car, about superfluous or insufficient cornering ability. We can compensate it, having removed or having added one of elements of a reserve forward spoiler, having changed pressure in tires, but usually everything not goes beyond adjustment of a rear wing angle of incidence. If this procedure is necessary, it is fulfilled by the mechanic changing the fore right tyre, but his functions are incurred by two remained mechanics".
After mechanics have inserted nut runners, the car must be fixed - if it will move aside, connection with wheel fastening can be broken. Certainly, there is a reserve pneumatic in case something will go wrong - everything is duplicated, like in aircraft. Each tyre is changed by three mechanics - they compete among themselves that is doing business good. These people, as a rule, do not change, they work in one team.
If the forward part of the car is damaged and it must be changed, the use the standard lift is impossible - then four guys lift the car, and the fifth pushes the special lift under the bottom. It must be placed exactly in a certain place, mechanics do it blindly.

About five seconds:
The lead mechanic:
"On the end of "lollipop" there are two indicators, red and yellow. During the moment which we are discussing now, obviously red is on, but before the race I approximately know, how long pit-stop will last - it is counted in advance, I watch mechanics' actions and in the certain moment I turn on the yellow indicator. The racer raises idle speed, and I look around for four lifted hands - a signal to that I can let out the racer on the track".

The racer:
"My foot is on a brake and I make first-gear engagement when the car is still on the lift. The main thing - is to watch fires on the end of "lollipop", during the necessary moment to raise idle speed, to clamp by the left hand the clutch toggle lever and to loosen it when the "lollipop" will rise upwards.

About 6 seconds:
If you look at the refueler you will see on his belt a plastic cup. The fuel tank of the car opens automatically when the racer presses the button of speed restriction on pit-lane. If the mechanism fails and the hatch does not open, it needs to be torn off. In place of it, after pit-stop, the cup is put. There is also another mechanic who if necessary will replace a steering wheel or will clean air inlets.

Refueler:
"To disconnect the refuelling hose, I make a step back and I pull the red handle which gives a command to the lock mechanism. To onlookers it appears like a continuous process, in reality - these are two different functions which do not let the fuel to spill on the car. Unless several drops will fall..."

The lead mechanic:
"As soon as I see, that four hands of mechanics are lifted upwards I look a refueler. If he has ended his work, the car can be let out on the track".

About eight seconds:
When the racer is ordered to start, lifting "lollipop", everybody have to be ready to that the motor can die. If this occurs, the "lollipop" pulls down again and the mechanic starts the motor with the starter. The process is the following: when the guy who removes the left rear wheel, finishes his work, he takes the starter and is ready if necessary to start died car. Another mechanic picks up a cart with the starter drive to keep mobility - between them there is a short two-meter cable, and the car can die, already having moved from the place.

The lead mechanic:
"One of the major precepts - the lead mechanic, "a man with a lollipop"", in no circumstances should not leave his post. For example, if there are problems with the left rear wheel I can do nothing even if I see the reason of it. If I move aside, the racer can think, that it is allowed to him to drive back to the track.
Racers always hurry up. Worst of all is, when they follow the refuelling course in mirrors. Happened, racers operated the clutch, having seen, that refuelling is finished, but during that moment mechanics have not changed the rubber yet".

The racer:
"It is necessary to trust guys who work with you during pit-stop. They will not let out the car if there are hindrances on pit-lane or any other problems. This is their zone of responsibility, until the "lollipop" is not lifted upwards; I try not to think about what occurs around".
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