The Best Pit Crew In Formula 1 Is At It Again.
It’s lights out and away we go, but with a whole new meaning. The Oracle Red Bull Racing pit crew has turned the lights out on the 2023 season with another incredible feat. In a jaw-dropping display of teamwork and skill, they have completed Formula 1’s first-ever pit stop in total darkness – aptly named the Pitch Black Pit Stop.
Known for their lightning-fast pit stops, Oracle Red Bull Racing has established themselves as the benchmark in the pitlane. With six consecutive DHL Fastest Pit Stop Awards under their belt, they are the most consistently quick team in the business. But this time, they decided to take their expertise to a whole new level by embracing the challenge of performing a pit stop without any visual cues.
The team had minimal preparation for this extraordinary endeavor. They underwent just three blindfolded pit stop practices at the Red Bull Technology Campus before facing the ultimate blackout. On the day of the challenge, the pit crew’s helmets were fitted with blacked-out visors, effectively restricting all visibility.
In front of 27 specialist cameras, the team of 22 pit crew members embarked on their quest to achieve the impossible. It took them 10 attempts to achieve their goal, with each pit stop becoming more precise and efficient than the last. Their efforts culminated in an awe-inspiring 2.84-second stop, just a second shy of their world-record-setting time at the 2019 Brazil GP.
Filmed over the course of four hours, the mission started with an 8.84-second stop. Within just four attempts, the team had slashed their time down to an impressive 4.93 seconds. Despite the challenges and breaks needed to recover, the crew set themselves the ambitious target of completing the pit stop in under three seconds within 10 attempts. And they surpassed expectations with their final time, going sub three seconds.
What made this achievement even more remarkable was the meticulous planning and technological advancements that went into capturing the moment. The Oracle Red Bull Racing production team collaborated with specialists in infrared lighting and night vision to ensure every second of the pit stop was captured in high definition. They even developed cutting-edge filming equipment capable of documenting the challenge using both infrared and regular film.
To enhance the crew’s vision in the pitch-black environment, military specialists were consulted to provide expert advice on the night vision equipment worn by the front and rear jack operators, as well as the driver of the electric pitstop car.
Reflecting on the incredible accomplishment, Oracle Red Bull Racing Sporting Director, Jonathan Wheatley, expressed his pride in the team’s performance.
Wheatley stated, “The Pitch Black Pit Stop was a challenge we could literally never see coming our way as a Race Team, but in typical Red Bull fashion, we have come to expect the unexpected! The time of 2.84 seconds is a strong stop even in broad daylight! I’m certainly not saying that I would like to turn the lights out in a race, but being able to pull this off so succinctly, in the pitch black, shows what a well-oiled machine the crew is and is a testament to the fact that we have won six consecutive DHL’s Fastest Pit Stop Awards. Beautiful work.”
With this groundbreaking achievement, Oracle Red Bull Racing has once again pushed the boundaries of what is possible in Formula 1. Their ability to conquer the darkness and deliver a flawless pit stop showcases the extraordinary talent and unwavering determination that has made them world champions.
As the lights continue to shine brightly on the Oracle Red Bull Racing pit crew, one thing is for certain – they’ve etched their names in the annals of Formula 1 history with their pitch-black pit stop mastery.
