Photo : Jean-Pierre Espitalier (ACO)

 

When the car makes a pit stop, the procedure is executed in this order. First the fuel is filled during which only the driver change can take place simultaneously. Only when the new driver is in place can the tyres be changed.

During the refueling, three mechanics are needed. The first is in charge of the hose that pours the precious liquid, the second takes care of opening and closing the fuel valve and the third mans the extinguisher in case of fire. They are dressed in fireproof suits, protective glasses and a helmet whose visor must remain be closed.

At each refueling, the tank is systematically filled full. The hose is made up of two hoses in one. The first is for fuel, the second larger one is for air. The mechanics know that the tank is full when the fuel backs up into the "air" hose.

Thirty seconds are needed to fill the car. The fuel flow is regulated and standard across all classes. Only the tank capacity differs among the different classes. The quantity to pour is calculated by computer thanks to the telemetry used by the engineers in the pit. The driver also has the information pertinent to fuel consumption on his dashboard.

In total, the driver change, the tyre change and the refueling take between one and one and a half minutes.

David Bristol / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt