24h Le Mans
Pit stops take on a very different look and feel between the 24 Heures du Mans and the 12 Hours of Sebring, actually most American races. There are differences in the regulations in terms of crew members, wheel guns, etc. But there are also sharp contrasts in the pit lanes and the pit boxes themselves.
Photo : D.R. - TUSC/IMSA
At Le Mans, all cars now use a support structure above the car servicing spot, so the air lines, data cables, fuel fill and fuel vent lines all drop vertically from above making things easy and direct for the crews. In Sebring, all team equipment must remain behind the pit wall, which adds a bit of artistic quality as team members manage the long air lines used to supply their tire guns.
If a team suffers a problem that requires extended service during the Le Mans 24 hours, it is common to simply rotate the car by 90 degrees and enter directly into the garage box. In Sebring, any extended service requires a return to the paddock area – garages that are hundreds of meters away from the pit lane. This forces teams to move people, parts, and perhaps even tools between pit lane and their garage service area.
Another difference is the organization of team leadership and data monitoring computers. At Le Mans, the primary team leadership is located in the signaling area between the pit lane and the front straight. From this excellent vantage point, they can see their own entries and their competitors clearly, monitor the performance of the cars and engines, plan their strategy, and even flash a pit board if needed to update the driver.
In Sebring, it is much harder for the crews to see the cars clearly. The data monitoring and strategy functions are performed behind the pit wall, in an area where visibility along the pit lane is compromised, this is why the top teams, especially Corvette Racing, use a spotter. This is a trusted member of the team with enough driving experience to know exactly what the driver in the car needs to know and when he can receive the information without creating risk. The spotter will give information to the driver about traffic ahead or behind, and will also relay information about any accidents or dangerous situations that might lead to a full course yellow flag.
All these differences give a hard time to European teams in the USA, but still many European teams head to Sebring, testing their cars on this grueling track before the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.
Marjory Berkache and Cécile Bonardel / ACO
PHOTO: SEBRING (FLORIDA, USA), SEBRING INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY, 12 HOURS OF SEBRING, SATURDAY MARCH 15 2014, GRID.
INFORMATION
24 HOURS OF LE MANS - June 14/15 2014
Tickets - Entry List - Program
