McLaren is the proud new record holder for the fastest pit stop ever achieved in F1, however, Red Bull team principal Jonathan Wheatley says breaking it is a challenge the team must take on.
At the 2023 F1 Qatar Grand Prix, McLaren achieved a 1. 8-second stop on Lando Norris’ MCL60, beating the previous F1 pit stop benchmark of 1. 82 seconds set by Red Bull at the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix.
A recent Guinness World Records stop at the McLaren Technology Centre proved that this is the fastest pit stop in Formula 1 history.
F1 2023 was a campaign of remarkable dominance for Red Bull as they won 21 of the 22 grands prix, while for the sixth year in a row, they secured the DHL pit-stop standings trophy, though McLaren claiming that record time will sting.
Wheatley said as much in his appearance on the Talking Bull podcast, joking that after “a few weeks of therapy” he can now talk about that 1. 8-second McLaren pit stop.
In all seriousness, he praised McLaren for the “incredible job” they had done to set the record, warned rivals in Woking that Red Bull planned to stick to its pit prevention strategy and predicted that it would all “come together” when they looked towards claiming that specific crown.
Red Bull has already tried too hard to make a pit stop in the dark.
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“What we’ve noticed with McLaren, and I’m completely pleased to be able to communicate that after a couple of weeks of treatment, is incredibly well-executed pit prevention per person,” said Wheatley.
“The 22, the driver. And hats off to me, they did an amazing job.
“But our purpose is to continue to do the lowest average times of all and at some point it will all come together and yes, I’d be lying if I said it’s not a goal to beat it. “
McLaren is really hoping its war with Red Bull will be confined to the pit lane in F1 2024, as the team looks to build on the huge momentum generated in its last campaign.
A series of upgrades to the MCL60 turned this rival from one of the slowest on the grid into a consistent podium contender, with nine goals scored throughout the season, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri beat Red Bull’s three-time world champion Max. Verstappen will claim victory in Qatar.
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