Pit lane positions of teams
- This topic has 12 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 4 months ago by robk23.
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- 11th December 2012, 13:43 at 1:43 pm #132522gwenouilleParticipant
Hi there. I have a bit of a strange question: how are the garages positions decided ? I mean on what ground does a team get the 1st pitbox, or 14th or last, etc ?
I ask because it seems to me that it can be a bit unfair at times: for instance, if you are the team that occupy the 1st box, it’s much easier for the lollipop man concerning unsafe releases. If you are last on the other hand, you don’t have to avoid the other team’s airgun hoses. Etc, etc…
Do teams get the same spot race after race ?
Is it based on Championship points ?11th December 2012, 13:50 at 1:50 pm #219178Keith CollantineKeymasterIs it based on Championship points ?
Yes, although whether they run in ascending or descending order from the beginning of the pit lane can vary.
11th December 2012, 14:04 at 2:04 pm #219179the_sigmanParticipantIt doesn’t really matter except for the matter of going with less steering into the box. For example, this year, Red Bull were first, so WEB and VET were steering less before stopping (so they were losing less time). But their lollipop man is concerned about unsafe realeases, because there are the people entering the pits. The end of the pitlane is the opposite. You gain time exiting the box (and having quicker and straighter accelaration) but you have to avoid the cars exiting the pits.
11th December 2012, 14:16 at 2:16 pm #219180gwenouilleParticipantThanks !
I am a bit surprised not to have seen any info on that nowhere.
@the_sigman: yes, I always thought that was a bit unfair…11th December 2012, 14:51 at 2:51 pm #219181BenParticipantWhy were McLaren moved from the back to the middle of the pitlane halfway through 2008?
11th December 2012, 15:42 at 3:42 pm #219182AnonymousInactive@Ben I’d guess because of the spygate incident with ferrari. eliminating them from the constructors championship. I didn’t watch F1 then though so I don’t know for sure.
11th December 2012, 15:53 at 3:53 pm #219183JourneyerParticipantYes, pit garage order is based on WCC standing. As I recall (feel free to correct me here), the top constructor is always nearest to the FIA/FOM trailers. This would explain why the top constructor is sometimes at pit entry and other times at pit exit. A recent exception is Silverstone – the top constructors there end up in the middle of the pit garages as they cannot be seen by the spectators when they are positioned at pit exit (because it’s sloping downward).
@benchuiii They were supposed to be at the last garage post-Spygate (last in 2007 WCC). But they asked for special dispensation to be moved to the middle of the pitlane due to space constraints, to which the FIA agreed. So McLaren were moved to the garage normally occupied by the 5th-placed constructor, with the other constructors getting moved further down accordingly.
11th December 2012, 18:30 at 6:30 pm #219184sato113Participant@keithcollantine I believe it is the champion team who can choose to be at the start or end of the pitlane. the other teams have to respond accordingly.
11th December 2012, 20:25 at 8:25 pm #219185robk23ParticipantIf I remember correctly it was Williams that had the garage nearest the pit exit at Silverstone this year.
12th December 2012, 6:06 at 6:06 am #219186raymondu999Participant@robk23 Williams? I think it would be Marussia – the order is (barring special circumstances) decided by WCC standing.
12th December 2012, 9:04 at 9:04 am #219187robk23Participant@raymondu999 There’s a picture on F1.com showing Williams at the end of the pit lane.
Piecing this together from a few videos, the order of the garages from the pit exit seemed to be Williams, Toro Rosso, Sauber, Force India, Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull., Caterham, HRT and Marussia.
12th December 2012, 11:38 at 11:38 am #219188sato113Participant@robk23 @raymondu999 Silverstone was a one-off special case. the big teams wanted to be at the end of the pit lane but this meant supporters couldnt see them from the stands. a compromise was struck so that the big teams would be put in the middle of the pit lane. Now fans could see their garages from the stand opposite the pitlane.
12th December 2012, 14:53 at 2:53 pm #219189robk23ParticipantYes people complained in 2011 that Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari were not visible from the grandstands because the change in elevation towards the first corner so for 2012 they were moved into the middle and the midfield teams moved into their place.
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