Isle of Man TT – Anatomy of a Pit Stop

I have always been fascinated by pit stops.   The efficiency and choreography is a pleasure to watch requiring the levels of skills and strength that can be the difference between winning and not. Auto racing where the timing of what lap to pit is a major strategic challenge.

Pits stops are a contrast in motion as one team works while another streaks by

For Formula 1 racing the benchmark for a successful pit is 3 seconds.  Here is an overhead shot that I found of the 20 people, excluding the driver that are used to change all four tires, add fuel.

Nascar is considerably slower where the benchmark is 13 seconds are only 7 people are allowed ‘over the wall.’

As you would expect things are different at the Isle of Man for the SuperBike, the Senior TT 6-lap races, they pit after the 2nd and 4th lap and take on fuel and get a new rear tire.

For the 4 lap events SuperStock and SuperSport 4 lap events, they pit after lap two for fuel.

As with most things at the TT, it is racing is its rawest form.  A crew of four is allowed over the wall, fuel is loaded via gravity feed (no pressurized filling), and 1 person to change the rear tire.

Here is local Manx hero Dan Kneen, riding for the Penz13.com BMW team coming in for his first pit stop.

Rolling into the pits – time: 14:37:27

Dan stopped on his mark – time: 14:37:28

Fueling begun – rear tire jacked up – time: 14:37:29

New visor and tear-offs – time: 14:37:32

New visor and rear wheel off – time: 14:37:42

Wheel on & chain on – time: 14:37:52

Fueling continues – clean windscreen – time: 14:37:58

Fueling continues – clean windscreen – time: 14:38:01

Fueling continues – wheel down – time: 14:38:05

Finishing fueling – time: 14:38:08

Push start out – time: 14:38:17

Rolling out – time 14:38:18

I cannot get an exact time of the stop based on the images, but from rolling in to being pushed out is 50 seconds. I am sure it felt like an eternity for Dan Kneen. For some others, the pits meant they were either on or off the podium at the end of the day.