DHL Fastest Pit Stop Award: 2016 FORMULA 1 BRITISH GRAND PRIX

Top dogs beaten! For the first time this year, the fastest pit stop in the 2016 FORMULA 1 BRITISH GRAND PRIX did not go to the Williams squad. Instead, Mercedes were out in front this time with Lewis Hamilton. His mechanics changed all four tires on his car in only 2.33 seconds – no one was faster that weekend. And so, the Mercedes crew took the crown for the fastest pit stop from Williams, who have been unbeaten so far in 2016. In the first nine races this season, their drivers, Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas, have been stationary for the shortest period nine times in all.

Mercedes were thus able to win the DHL Fastest Pit Stop Award for the first time this year. The smooth change of tires contributed to Hamilton’s victory at Silverstone, adding to the excitement in the battle for the F1 drivers’ world championship. The Briton is just one point behind teammate Nico Rosberg after ten of 21 races in the current season. Between them, they have ensured that Mercedes also comfortably lead the constructors’ championship in the racing series.

Williams were ranked ‘only’ fourth this weekend in the DHL Fastest Pit Stop Award. The team still did very well in the race with a time of 2.53 seconds for Felipe Massa on his fastest stop. His Finnish teammate Valtteri Bottas followed close behind in sixth place with 2.57 seconds. Force India (Sergio Perez), McLaren (Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso) and Renault (Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer) also managed to book a place in the Top Ten for changing tires at the British GP. 

Start on full wets

The typical British rain consigned all of the teams’ plans for strategy to the trash can even before the race had begun. Heavy rain showers had fallen at Silverstone during the morning and at noon, and there was so much standing water on the track that the stewards decided to start the race behind the safety car. The rules dictate that all cars must be fitted with wet-weather tires in such a case.

Mercedes brought its two drivers into the pits to switch to intermediate tires during the virtual safety car phase after Pascal Wehrlein crashed out on Lap 7. Rosberg came in only a few seconds behind his teammate. A bad stop would therefore have held up both drivers, but the Mercedes crew did a great job at Silverstone.

The other teams also swapped to inters during this period, so by the end of 18 laps, all drivers had already completed their second pit stops. The white-marked medium tire was everyone’s tire of choice. Just three drivers, Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso and Kevin Magnussen, pitted for a third time at a later stage in the race to bolt on fresh tires. The Spaniard and the Dane were the only ones to complete a stint on the yellow-marked soft tires in the British GP.