F1 pit stop record: Top 10 fastest pit stops in Formula 1

Having recorded a 1.82-second pit stop in 2019 while driving for the Red Bull team, the Belgian-Dutch racing car driver Max Verstappen holds the record for the fastest Formula 1 pit stops of all time. Will it still stand as the F1 pit stop record in 2023? If so, has it ever been broken?

Formula 1 is arguably one of the most popular and valuable sports in the world. These skills are considered paramount in Formula 1 pit stops: teamwork, communication and coordination to maximise success. Who recorded the fastest time ever in the pit stop?

What is the world's fastest pit stop?

Aside from being categorised among the richest sports in the world, it has become the most followed sport in the world, with numerous fans emerging from different parts of the world. According to various online sources, here are some of the fastest pit stop records since inception.

10. Michael Schumacher

During the 1994/2009 era, refuelling still took around 6 to 12 seconds maximum but every 67 seconds like during the 1950s. When it comes to Michael Schumacher, he made a stop to refuel his car at 0:29 seconds and started at the 0:37 second mark, utilising exactly 8 seconds in 2006.

9. Ayrton Senna

Ayrton Senna is a Brazilian legend remembered in 1993 for a tire change, and four seconds later, he exited. Senna and his crew wanted to get the fastest-ever pit stops in Formula 1, but they did not accomplish the goal then.

8. Valtteri Bottas

Bottas from Mercedes had an incredible and fastest pit stop in Formula 1. Although his team wanted much fewer seconds, they managed a pit stop in less than 3 seconds which was a record to them. The team believed that they could go faster after successfully trying to improve their communication during the race. As of January 2023, Bottas has ten wins.

7. Lewis Hamilton

For starters, Lewis Hamilton is one of the highest-paid athletes. The wealthy car racer made a memorable end after he accidentally went into the McLaren pit and managed to get one of the fastest pit stops of all time, recording 2.31 seconds.

6. Kimi Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen rose to stardom following his hit on the 2.20 seconds mark in 2018. Consequently, his performance was considered rare. One intriguing thing was that during the race, his opponent stayed out on the track, and the car racer entered the pit lane and took the lead for the first time.

5. Sebastian Vettel

Sebastian is one of the highest-paid race-car drivers of all time. On his first pit stop on Lap 27, new tyres were installed in a time of 1.97 seconds, changing the whole season in less than two seconds. Vettel and the team achieved one of the fastest pit stops in Formula 1 with unforgettable coordination and later won four world championships.

4. Mark Webber

Mark Webber, an Australian-based retired professional racing driver, competed in Formula 1 from 2002 to 2013 and the FIA World Endurance Championship between 2014 and 2016. His fame skyrocketed following his race with Sebastian Vettel, driver of Red Bull Racing when he stopped after the 29th lap in 1.923 seconds.

3. Felipe Massa

If there was one time Williams Formula 1 witnessed one of F1's fastest pit stop records, it was during the Grand Prix of Europe, when the pit crew replaced tires in historical time. Felipe's team achieved fine art precision after Felipe Massa reached their pit box within 1.92 seconds.

2. Pierre Gasly

Pierre from Red Bull took the shortest possible time. Upon completion, his teammates were the heroes of the day, and Pierre drove away in just 1.91 seconds. It later became record-breaking and a great achievement for him and his team. Pierre Gasly's coordination and swift performance brought about reactions from his fans, supporters, and management as he had recorded such good performances.

1. Max Verstappen

The holder of the world's record for the fastest pit stop, Max Verstappen, is renowned as Formula 1's best guru of all time. He became the centre of attention when he passed Lewis Hamilton twice on the circuit to secure his eighth F1 victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix in November 2019.

Max Verstappen has become a sought-after personality to the point that the only name that comes to mind is Verstappen whenever the sport is mentioned. To date, no one has managed to beat his 1.82-second record.

One specific thing about the F1 pit stop record is that it requires more than just stopping, changing tyres, and accelerating away. Some of the skills that really matter are absolute precision, split-second decisions, perfect teamwork and much more.

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