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JasonD
17th June 2010, 20:53
Do crew members have more than one job during the weekend?

Say the front left tyre changer or the lollypop guy, do they only do that all weekend or are they responbile for other things too?

wedge
18th June 2010, 00:29
How do you mean? Do they swap roles in pitstops?

The crew members are mechanics, engineers, fabricators, guys on the factory shop floor. At Renault they audition by holding pitstop competitions.

Koz
18th June 2010, 02:32
How do you mean? Do they swap roles in pitstops?

The crew members are mechanics, engineers, fabricators, guys on the factory shop floor. At Renault they audition by holding pitstop competitions.

I think he means to ask whether the crew are one trick ponies.

Easy Drifter
18th June 2010, 05:42
The guys from the shop floor do not normally travel with the team.
But yes the 'over the wall' guys all have other responsibilities. They may have specific parts of the car to look after or be the gear box guy or in charge of the tires. Remember they have only one working pit crew so there are people from both cars handling the pit stops. The truckies are usually involved too and that might include the ones who drive the hospitality rigs.
For an inside look at the life of a F1 race mechanic, albeit a few years ago, read Steve Matchett's book "A Mechanics Tale".
With today's Parc Ferme rules it is not quite as hectic as it used to be.

Mark
18th June 2010, 09:46
Do crew members have more than one job during the weekend?

Say the front left tyre changer or the lollypop guy, do they only do that all weekend or are they responbile for other things too?

The people doing the pit stops are not there for just one job. In fact the front left tyre changer, that's the least of his jobs during the weekend. Quite often they will be the same people resposible for looking after the cars while they are in the garage and will be highly trained mechanics.

It's just that once the cars are out on the track there's not much for them to do, except be pit crew!

What they certainly don't do is ship out a guy who's only job all weekend is to put a wheel on a car 4 times and then go home again!

Powered by Cosworth
19th June 2010, 03:35
My ol' man was the Minardi refueller for 3 years, he essentially managed and looked after all the engines for one of the cars for each year. He was then the left rear wheel gunman, before a change in the regs meant the the fuel filler was in a certain position where the short Italian fuel man couldn't get the angle right, so they got swapped.

They all had other jobs on the car and were the quickest pit crew consistently at most races. They could do 3.something second tyre changes without fuel back then (2003-5), they'd spend days practicing in the family simply when there was nothing to do. Great stuff to watch.

race_director
19th June 2010, 09:56
ferrari refueler's where the truck drivers also

Mark
19th June 2010, 11:45
Good ol' Minardi. Are many of the same guys still at STR?

Jag_Warrior
19th June 2010, 18:31
For an inside look at the life of a F1 race mechanic, albeit a few years ago, read Steve Matchett's book "A Mechanics Tale".

Heading to Amazon.com right now...

I like Matchett's style. I'm guessing it'll be an interesting read.