I’m not a racing fan but like many people I’m aware of how proficient the pit crews are. In a normal Formula 1 pit stop, the car is gassed up and the four tires are changed. How long do you think it takes them to do that? I asked my wife and she guessed 45 seconds. I was more optimistic and guessed 10 to 15 seconds.
Here’s the answer. The first video shows a pit stop. It goes by so quickly that I couldn’t follow the action. The car comes in and boom boom the car goes out. Approximate elapsed time: 2 seconds. The second video shows a pit stop from several angles and you can see what’s going on. It’s amazing. Talk about a finely honed machine. It’s almost like a choreographed dance. Watch the guy on the front jack and how he dumps the jack’s elevation and pirouettes out of the way.
Read the text, watch the videos, and be amazed. My mouth was hanging open as I watched. If you aren’t familiar with Formula 1 racing, yours will be too.
Update: to cars → the car
Update: Phil points out in the comments that F1 racers no longer need to refuel because they carry enough for the entire race. That doesn’t make the videos any less astounding.