German driver Nico Rosberg won the F1 world championship in 2016, though Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton ended the season in style by winning the race in Abu Dhabi.
While races are mostly won – and lost – on the track, those precious few seconds in the pits can often make a huge difference. Seen during TV coverage, the pit stop seems to be a marvel of coordination, though things go horribly wrong sometimes.
The video above from Red Bull Racing explains pit stops, with commentary from team manager Jonathan Wheatley, who takes you through the procedure quickly, explaining what goes on behind the scenes as well.
While these stops have been around for years, it’s important to note that the car must be serviced reliably every single time during these pit stops. There are 18 people handling the car in one pit stop, and roles are allocated depending on what each of them is most comfortable with, physically.
Wheatley explains that the wheels come off the very second the car drives in. The choreography of pit stops is in itself a subject of study.