Williams: Perfect teamwork takes them to the top of the DHL Fastest Pit Stop Awards

Every turn of the spanner has to be precise, because the slightest error will cost valuable tenths of a second, the difference between victory and defeat. Pit stops are among the most exciting and dramatic moments of grands prix. The secret of success lies in well-rehearsed routine and attention to details.

Four races, four turbo-stops - the most nimble hands in the paddock are those of the pit crew for the team run by Sir Frank Williams. With the season as yet young, the mechanics of Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas have recorded the fastest pit stop in four successive races and given Williams a huge lead at this stage of the DHL Fastest Pit Stop Award. But how does this long-established and illustrious team manage to be so good?

Less than three seconds

Almost all of their 16 stops so far this campaign have been completed in under three seconds. "We are fairly consistent," says Williams driver Felipe Massa. "Last year, a 3.3-second stop was the norm for us. This clearly shows how much we have improved." 

Williams' success is no coincidence. "Over the past two years, we have been focusing hard on pit stops, trying to get better," says Massa's team-mate Valtteri Bottas. "The guys have been practising an awful lot." 

That's because the team members are aware of the importance of a good pit stop. The seconds during which the car enters the pits, has its tires changed and exits again are crucial. One-tenth more or less can change the whole outcome of a race. "The midfield is extremely tight, and this is an area in which we can help ourselves," adds Bottas.

More self-confidence

Felipe Massa reveals the reason behind their current good run of form: "The biggest difference is in terms of wheel nuts and guns. We have changed these since last year." Which once again illustrates the point that the tiniest detail can make all the difference in Formula 1. Hence the slogan: Great is in the detail.

But that's not the only reason for the strong performance of the team from Grove in Oxfordshire. "The guys have perhaps gained more confidence, because things are now working properly," explains the Brazilian. Confidence which is now coupled with diligence and good teamwork and which clearly shows that Formula 1 is above all a team sport.