RACINGAWARDS 2019
HOW YOU VOTED
Red Bull 60.6%
Williams 18.5%
Mercedes 14.8%
McLaren 2.6%
Ferrari 2.2%Did you know oneof the closest battles of the
year has been between Williams andRed Bull?
The race hasn’t been on the track, but rather in
the pitlane where the margins are often down
tohundredths of a second. During 2019,
Red Bull and Williams both completed the
fastest pitstop in nine races. But the Milton
Keynes outfit had two of fastest pitstops of the
season – including a new record set in Brazil.
While a pitstopisa blink-and-you-miss-it
moment, it isperhaps the most visual wayof
identifyingFormula 1 as ateam sport,and
reflects the hard work and precision that goes
intochangingfour wheels and tyres inless
than two seconds.The work starts back at the
factory, where mechanics will regularlytest on
rigstohonetheir performance.
Teams haverealised they needtocondition
the mechanics working on pitstops asthey
would a professional athlete,as Williamsteam
manager Dave Reddingexplains:“Theonus
in on theindividualtomakesure he is in the
right shape and we help them witha guidefor
nutrition,hydration andexercise.If they’renot
workingonthe car then weencourage themto
gotothe gym.”
Red Bull’s two quickest stops of theyear
cameincriticalraces, both of which Max
Verstappen went ontowin.
Thefirst was a1.88-second stop in the
chaos (andwet conditions) that prevailed in
the German Grand Prix, and the second –a
new record – was a1.82-second stop inthe
Brazilian Grand Prix.
When he emerged from this stop,Verstappen
was baulked byRobertKubica’sWilliams– as
the camerasfinally captured thistitanic battle
between the twoteams.PITCREW
OF THE YEAR
RedBull
F1 RACING JANUARY 2020 95“Delightedto accept this on
behalf of theteam. It’s been
an extraordinary couple of
years interms of pitstop
performance. Theteam we
have now is the most dedicated
bunch of professional guys I’ve
ever worked with. The vibe is
fantastic and they’ve delivered,
I think it’s three world records
this year.To have something
vote d for by the readers of the
magazine is great.”
JonathanWheatley