In an action-packed Qatar Grand Prix, the McLaren Formula 1 team achieved something extraordinary. During Lando Norris’s second pit stop on Lap 28, the McLaren crew executed a pit stop in a blistering 1.8 seconds, setting a new world record for the fastest pit stop in Formula 1 history.
This remarkable feat, confirmed by DHL, shattered the previous record of 1.82 seconds, set by Max Verstappen and Red Bull at the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix. It’s worth noting that Verstappen’s record was achieved with smaller 13-inch tires, while Norris’s record-breaking pit stop was carried out with the heavier 18-inch tires currently in use.
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Although Red Bull had managed a 1.8-second pit stop during practice, McLaren’s achievement during the actual Grand Prix set a new benchmark. The closest competitor was Ferrari, with a 1.93-second pit stop for Charles Leclerc.
This achievement is even more remarkable considering that Formula 1 implemented rule changes in 2021 to slow down pit stops by around 0.2 seconds in the interest of safety. It took time for teams to readjust and consistently achieve sub-2-second pit stops, but McLaren’s record-breaking performance has once again pushed the limits of what’s possible in the pit lane.
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With this record-breaking pit stop and a double-podium finish at the Qatar Grand Prix, McLaren continues to impress in the 2023 Formula 1 season. Currently sitting just 11 points behind Aston Martin in the race for fourth place in the constructors’ championship, McLaren is poised for an exciting final stretch of the season with five rounds to go.
