Pit stops in 2023 in numbers

The year 2023 was mainly marked by Max Verstappen’s third world title and Red Bull’s second consecutive championship as a constructor. Although the season was not very competitive for the main title, there were many pit stops made.

In total, the teams asked their drivers to come into the pits 890 times for tire changes or repairs. Pit stops are of considerable strategic importance. One of the most effective tactics in F1 is the undercut, which involves an early stop by a team.

The goal is to take advantage of the fact that the opponent in front is on track with worn tires, allowing the team to put on new tires. When leaving the pits, the driver with the new tires must then try to achieve the best possible time.

A strategic key

The pit stop is a major strategy in Formula 1. During a Grand Prix, all drivers are required to stop at least once and change tire types (hard to soft, medium to hard, etc.). If this is not done, the teams and drivers are penalized. Therefore, teams develop strategies with the different sets of tires available to them and plan in advance which tires it is best to start and/or finish with.

In most cases, it is rare for a driver to make only one pit stop and participate in a race without interruption. This situation often occurs for drivers starting from the back of the grid and looking to gradually move up. This strategy often involves a stint on hard tires followed by a switch to intermediates. Consequently, teams devise plans by assessing the potential time lost when entering the pit lane.

The pit stop is also widely used to attempt undercuts, sometimes very effective, thus allowing them to take the lead in the race ahead of their competitors.

A predefined time

Over the 2023 season, the average time spent in the pit lane stands at 24.62 seconds. However, this duration varies significantly from one circuit to another, a phenomenon that can be attributed to two factors. Firstly, the layout of the pit lane plays a major role. For example, in Brazil, the pit lane exit is very winding, and it is common for drivers to lose time at the exit to avoid any risk of collision. This scenario also frequently occurs on urban circuits such as Singapore or Monaco.

The second source of variation lies in the speed limit imposed in the pit lane. On the F1 calendar, the maximum speed allowed during a Grand Prix in this section of the track is 80 km/h. However, on some circuits, this limit is reduced to 60 km/h. The FIA is the decision-making body for these speed restrictions. If the pit lane is deemed too short (and therefore very advantageous for pit stops) or dangerous, as in Monaco, the Federation may opt for a 60 km/h limit. In the absence of concerns from the FIA regarding these criteria, the speed limit is maintained at 80 km/h. Any speeding results in a five-second penalty.

The pros and cons

From one circuit to another, teams evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of a pit stop. On very short tracks, a pit stop may seem less advantageous. For example, at the Red Bull Ring, the pole position was achieved in 1:04.39. During the Sunday race, the average pit stop time was 21.7 seconds, which gives a pit stop per lap ratio of 33.70%.

On the other hand, on a longer track like Baku, a pit stop seems to be less costly in terms of time. To secure pole position, Ferrari achieved a time of 1:40.203. During the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the average pit lane transit time was 21.76 seconds, bringing the ratio down to 21.72%. In this case, the pit stop becomes more advantageous per lap. Therefore, teams sometimes opt for more stops on these tracks which are less time-consuming.

In order to establish a list of the most expensive circuits, averages were calculated by including the times of all pit stops per Grand Prix, divided by the time of the pole position.

The most expensive circuits

The pit stops are more expensive depending on the proportion between the track and the pit lane. This list consists of circuits where pit stops represent more than 35% of the time completed by the driver starting in pole position.

Monaco

In 2023, the Grand Prix that posed the greatest challenge to the teams is Monaco. On average, drivers spent 27.02 seconds in the pit lane. Moreover, this time represents 37.86% of the time achieved by the pole position driver, Max Verstappen (1:11.365). Nevertheless, on this track, if teams choose the right strategies, they are not supposed to lose positions.

Singapore

Among the circuits requiring the most time per lap, Singapore ranks second. With a pit stop that averages 33.18 seconds, it is the Grand Prix with the longest pit stops. However, the pole position was obtained with 29 seconds more than in Monaco (1:30.984). Therefore, the pit stop represents 36.47% of the best time achieved in qualifying.

Qatar

The Qatar Grand Prix is the only Grand Prix, among those with one of the most expensive pit stops, which is not held in the city center. However, the length of the pit lane puts it in 3rd position. In 2023, drivers spent an average of 29.86 seconds per pit stop in this annex. On a track where the pole position was set at 1:23.778, this represents 35.64% of the time. In 2023, the Qatar Grand Prix saw the fastest pit stop in history, performed by the McLaren team in 1.8 seconds.

The least expensive circuits

The Grand Prix where the pit stop/ pole position time ratio is between 20 and 25%.

Austin

The Austin pit lane is one of the shortest in F1. The lane is very close to the track and does not offer any corners or detours. It’s a straight line. Therefore, in 2023, the average pit stop is 23.54 seconds. To start at the front of the grid, Max Verstappen achieved a time of 1.24.723. During the previous season, the pit stop represented on average 24.85% of the lap time.

Las Vegas

Despite the initial criticisms, the Las Vegas Grand Prix showed a positive side during Sunday’s race. The new pit lane took an average of 22.32 seconds for the drivers to cross and stop. On this very fast track, the pole was achieved in 1.32.726. The pit stop/pole ratio is therefore 24.07%.

Melbourne

The Australian Grand Prix was the race offering the fastest pit lane passage during the last season. The average time is only 19.15 seconds. In order to start first, the poleman set a time of 1.16.732. Therefore, in Melbourne, the pit stop required 24.96% of the lap time.

Spa-Francorchamps

The Belgian Grand Prix is known to be the longest race on the calendar, as well as for its historical significance. During the 2023 event, the pole position was obtained with a time of 1:46.168. In Sunday’s race, the average time spent in the pit lane was 23.65 seconds. Spa-Francorchamps, with one of the shortest pit lanes and the longest track, has a pit stop-to-pole ratio of just 22.28%.

Baku

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2023 was the 2nd shortest pit stop race. On average, a driver spent 21.76 seconds in the pit lane. While the pole position was achieved in 1.40.203, the stop/best time ratio is 21.72%. This is the least significant proportionality of the season.

The circuits are quite expensive.

The Grand Prix with a pit stop/ pole position time ratio between 30 and 35%.

The circuits in the average

The Grand Prix where the pit stop time/pole position time ratio is between 25 and 30%.