36. Pit Stops - General¶
Note: Pit stop procedures may be altered by the Safety Protocol in operation at an Event. In this case, the amended procedures as given in a Bulletin or Sporting Note will apply.
36.1.¶
No work can be carried out on the car and no change of driver can take place until the car has come to a complete stop at its designated working area, and its engine is switched off. Except when work is being carried out on the car, all personnel must remain behind the working line designating the start of the working lane or on the pit wall.
36.2.¶
For any pit stop, cars must stop a minimum of 50 cm from the working line designating the start of the Working Area.
Should a car overshoot its pit garage, it may be pushed back to its location by the a maximum of four mechanics, not including the car controller, under supervision of the marshals with yellow flags.
36.3.¶
Only the car controller is allowed in the working area a maximum of one lap before the pit stop of the car.
36.4.¶
No equipment must be in the working area before the car has stopped in front of the pit garage.
No personnel may hold panels on the working lane, or stand behind stationary panels. Team personnel may use unattended stationary boards or lollipops to indicate to the cars from the working zone.
Team personnel and equipment must withdraw as soon as the work is complete.
36.5. Number of personnel¶
No more than four mechanics may be in the working lane at any one time.
A Car Controller (the 5th member), wearing a white armband, may stand at the front of the car and oversee the work of the mechanics. He may walk around the car, but must not touch the car in any way and may only make visual checks.
Each competitor must ensure that its mechanics and car controller must wear flame-resistant overalls and a helmet as a minimum.
36.7.¶
Carry-on / backpack compressed air bottles for tyre changes are not permitted. Hoses, cables etc must not be attached to the mechanics' overalls by any means. No autonomous equipment may operate without its mechanic.
36.8.¶
During any pit stop, whatever the reason, the driver is obliged to turn off his engine.
For any tuning or regulating, the engine may be started with the help of an auxiliary source of energy. However, before the car is ready to rejoin the track, the engine must be switched off and driver must start the engine from his seat, using only those means available on board.
Other than for tuning or regulating, the car's engine may be restarted only when the car is about to join the track and is in contact with the ground, on all four wheels. The car must leave the working area with no external assistance.
36.9.¶
Any breach of the provisions of the Code or these Sporting Regulations relating to pit lane assistance will entail penalties at the discretion of the Stewards of the Meeting, up to the disqualification of the car and driver(s) concerned from the Competition. The Organiser must ensure that a sufficient number of marshals have been designated to carry out all the work and controls necessary in the pit lane.
36.10.¶
During sessions, cars may be placed on skates in the working lane when they need to be moved.
36.11. N/A¶
36.12.¶
Penalties may be imposed for an unsafe entry or release during any session
36.13.¶
Individual teams may receive an additional pit stop time adjustment at the discretion of the organisers
36.14.¶
Teams must be prepared and ready to perform their pit stop away from the area immediately outside their garage, should it be necessary to spread teams along the full length of the available space.