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Formula 1 Pit Stop Solution to Be Presented Following Incidents

Three races into the season, Formula 1 has already had its share of pit stop related incidents. The FIA counted no less than five unsafe releases already, all of which will lead to “solutions” which will be presented in the following weeks.
Pit stop solution in the works at FIA 1 photo
Photo: mercedesblog.com
The most serious incident involved Kimi Raikkonen and took place during the Bahrain Grand Prix. It led to one of Ferrari’s mechanics ending up in a hospital with one of his legs broken. Raikkonen had another safe release during the same race.

The other three incidents involved Stoffel Vandoorne at a practice run on the Chinese GP circuit, and the Haas team, which was also noted with two pit stops incidents.

In a statement released on Monday and attributed to Charlie Whiting, FIA’s F1 race director, the organization said it would present some type pf solution to this increasing problem in the following weeks.

One of the changes that might be imposed is the degree of automation for the pit stop operations. Currently, systems used in such operations, namely the one that controls when the drivers are released, are only partly automated.

As the four mechanics changing the wheels are done with their job, they press a button on the wheel gun. When the system detects all four are finished, it sends a green light to the driver.

FIA eyes imposing two wheel gun sensors, one to measure the torque and decide if the nut has been tightened correctly and the other to prevent cross-threading of the nut as in the Haas incidents.

FIA says however it will refrain from transforming the solutions it is about to propose into standardized regulations.

“I don't think there's any reason to standardise. We need to make sure among other things that there is no possibility for the guy to give the OK until those two conditions have been met," said Whiting.

“Some teams have a torque sensor on the gun and they have a position sensor. If you only have the torque sensor, you can gun the nut on and it can be cross-threaded and it'll show the required torque but it won't be tight, which is what happened to both Haas cars for example and the McLaren on Friday."
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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