Smuto wrote: ↑3 years ago
There were scheduled pitstops before 1982, but they didn't realize the strategic advantage until that year. I watched a lot of late 70s races where the Ferraris had to stop mid-race because the Michelin tyres didn't last the whole race. And particularly I remember one time during the 1978 Spanish GP where they even performed a double pit-stop. So, while they did exist, it was considered a con, and no one bothered to improve the speed of the pitstops until Brabham.
That's why I find it so surprising stops weren't worked on earlier. Ground effect was mashing the tyres; not just the michelins either. 1979 is tyre carnage.
The board equivalent of the Jody scheckter chicane. Fast but pointless
I guess when Brabham re-introduced the strategic pit stop it was more for fuel than tyres..... the fuel fill took the time and I guess the tyre change aspect could be a bit slack.
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“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)
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Used to be, if you cooked your tyres, you lost the race. Scheduled pitstops have removed an entire skill set from motor racing, now you can go all out between stops without regard to tyre wear, fuel load etc. The cars are always at their optimum performance, they could be driven by monkeys. (And probably are)
That argument about F 1 being a team sport is so silly; of course it is, always was even without trained monkeys jumping the pitwall and performing this ridiculous little circus act. Pit stop action is a poor substitute for on-track action, which we used to have in spades, it's all gone now.
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Strategy was always part of pit stops even back in the fifties.... but then strategy was more about how to keep the cigarette alight in your mouth without detonating the pit lane up as you slopped fuel into the tank of the race car via funnel from a milk churn.
* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left
“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)
* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
Everso Biggyballies wrote: ↑3 years ago
Strategy was always part of pit stops even back in the fifties.... but then strategy was more about how to keep the cigarette alight in your mouth without detonating the pit lane up as you slopped fuel into the tank of the race car via funnel from a milk churn.
Earliest tyre-warmers, sitting on it while you finished your tab
The board equivalent of the Jody scheckter chicane. Fast but pointless
