F1 | Procedure in Pitlane

La pitlane di ogni circuito è divisa in due corsie. La corsia più vicina al muretto è conosciuta come “Fast Lane”, mentre quella più vicina al garage è detta “Inner Lane”.

La FIA assegna i garage e una zona di Inner Lane dove le squadre possono lavorare e, in quel punto, si effettueranno anche i pit-stop durante il fine settimana di gara, ma anche le soste durante le qualifiche o le prove libere. Le squadre non possono intervenire sulle piazzole a loro assegnate per migliorarne le condizioni, fatta eccezione per la pulitura o l’asciugatura in caso di condizioni di umido.

Durante una gara, i meccanici che devono intervenire sulla vettura possono lasciare il garage solamente poco prima della sosta ai box e ritirarsi nuovamente dentro a lavoro completato. E’ responsabilità del team far ripartire un conducente in maniera sicura dopo la sosta.

Durante le prove libere, il rifornimento delle monoposto è consentito solamente all’interno del garage. Il pilota può rimanere in auto, ma il motore deve essere obbligatoriamente spento. Durante tutte le operazioni di rifornimento, il personale che lavora sulla vettura deve indossare l’abbigliamento protettivo ignifugo e deve sempre essere presente un assistente munito di estintore, pronto ad intervenire in caso di necessità.

Le squadre sono libere di modificare i carichi di carburante delle loro vetture durante le prove libere e le qualifiche. Dal 2010, i rifornimenti in gara sono stati aboliti.

Il limite di velocità in pitlane è di 80 Km/h in tutti i Gran Premi, fatta eccezione per l’Australia, Monaco e Singapore dove, a causa della conformazione del tracciato, il limite scende a 60 km/h.

Estratto dal regolamento FIA sulle procedure in Pitlane.

23) PIT ENTRY, PIT LANE AND PIT EXIT
23.1 The section of track between the first safety car line and the beginning of the pit lane will be designated the “pit entry”.
23.2 The section of track between the end of the pit lane and the second safety car line will be designated the “pit exit”.
23.3 The pit lane will be divided into two lanes, the lane closest to the pit wall will be designated the “fast lane” and may be no more than 3.5 metres wide, the lane closest to the garages will be designated the “inner lane”.
Other than when cars are at the end of the pit lane under Articles 38.2 and 41.5, the inner lane is the only area where any work can be carried out on a car. However, no work may be carried out in the fast lane if it is likely to hinder other cars attempting to leave the pit lane.
23.4 The FIA will allocate garages and an area in the pit lane on a strictly equal basis where each team may work and, within each of these designated garage areas, one position where pit stops during both practice and the race may be carried out.
23.5 No powered device may be used to lift any part of a car in the pit lane during a race.
23.6 Unless a car is pushed from the grid at any time during the start procedure, cars may only be driven from the team’s designated garage area to the end of the pit lane.
Any car(s) driven to the end of the pit lane prior to the start or re-start of a practice session, or any car(s) required to stop at the pit exit during a safety car period, must form up in a line in the fast lane and leave in the order they got there unless another car is unduly delayed.
23.7 Any driver that is required to start the race from the pit lane may not drive his car from his team’s designated garage area until the 15 minute signal has been given and must stop in a line in the fast lane.
Under these circumstances working in the fast lane will be permitted but any such work is restricted to :
a) Starting the engine and any directly associated preparation.
b) The fitting or removal of permitted cooling and heating devices.
c) Changes made for driver comfort.
d) Changing wheels.
When cars are permitted to leave the pit lane they must do so in the order that was established under Article 38.2 unless another car is unduly delayed. At all times drivers must follow the directions of the marshals.
23.8 Other than drying, sweeping or any tyre rubber left when cars leave their pit stop position, competitors may not attempt to enhance the grip of the surface in the pit lane unless a problem has been clearly identified and a solution agreed to by the FIA safety delegate.
23.9 Competitors must not paint lines on any part of the pit lane.
23.10 Other than under 23.7 above no equipment may be left in the fast lane.
23.11 Team personnel are only allowed in the pit lane immediately before they are required to work on a car and must withdraw as soon as the work is complete.
All team personnel carrying out any work on a car during a race pit stop must be wearing head protection.
23.12 a) It is the responsibility of the competitor to release his car from his garage or pit stop position only when it is safe to do so. The competitor must also provide a means of clearly establishing, when being viewed from the front of the car, when that car was released.
b) If a car is deemed to have been released in an unsafe condition during any practice session, the stewards may drop the driver such number of grid positions as they consider appropriate.
c) If a car is deemed to have been released in an unsafe condition during a race the driver concerned will receive a ten grid place penalty at the driver’s next Event. However, if any car released in an unsafe condition is able to resume the race a penalty under Article 16.3(b) will also be imposed on the driver concerned.
23.13 Under exceptional circumstances the race director may ask for the pit entry to be closed during the race for safety reasons. At such times drivers may only enter the pit lane in order for essential and entirely evident repairs to be carried out to the car.

29) REFUELLING
29.1 a) Refuelling is only permitted in the team’s designated garages.
b) No car may be refuelled after it has left the pit lane to start the first reconnaissance lap permitted under Article 38.1.
c) Fuel may not be added to nor removed from a car during a race.
29.2 No car may be refuelled, nor may fuel be removed from a car, at a rate greater than 0.8 litres per second.
29.3 The driver may remain in his car throughout refuelling but the engine must be stopped.
29.4 During all refuelling or fuel handling operations :
a) The relevant personnel must be wearing clothing which will provide adequate protection against fire.
b) An assistant, wearing clothing which will provide adequate protection against fire, and who is equipped with a suitable fire extinguisher of appropriate capacity must be present.
c) All cars, refuelling equipment and containers must be suitably grounded where necessary.
d) Any powered pumping system used to transfer fuel must be operated by a non-latching switch or be turned off automatically if the operator leaves.

30) GENERAL SAFETY
30.1 Official instructions will be given to drivers by means of the signals laid out in the Code. Competitors must not use flags or lights similar to these.
30.2 Drivers are strictly forbidden to drive their car in the opposite direction to the race unless this is absolutely necessary in order to move the car from a dangerous position.
30.3 a) During practice and the race, drivers may use only the track and must at all times observe the provisions of the Code relating to driving behaviour on circuits.
b) Other than by driving on the track, Competitors are not permitted to attempt to alter the grip of any part of the track surface.
30.4 If a car stops on the track it shall be the duty of the marshals to remove it as quickly as possible so that its presence does not constitute a danger or hinder other competitors. If any mechanical assistance received during the race results in the car rejoining the stewards may exclude him from the race (other than under Articles 30.9(d) or 41.3.
30.5 A driver who abandons a car must leave it in neutral or with the clutch disengaged, with the KERS shut down and with the steering wheel in place.
30.6 The organiser must make at least two fire extinguishers of 5kg capacity available to each competitor and ensure that they work properly.
30.7 Save as specifically authorised by the Code or these Sporting Regulations, no one except the driver may touch a stopped car unless it is in the paddock, the team’s designated garage area, the pit lane or on the starting grid.
30.8 At no time may a car be reversed in the pit lane under its own power.
30.9 During the period commencing fifteen minutes prior to and ending five minutes after every practice session and the period between the commencement of the formation lap which immediately precedes the race and the time when the last car enters the parc fermé, no one is allowed on the track, the pit entry or the pit exit with the exception of :
a) Marshals or other authorised personnel in the execution of their duty.
b) Drivers when driving or on foot, having first received permission to do so from a marshal.
c) Team personnel when either pushing a car or clearing equipment from the grid after all cars able to do so have left the grid on the formation lap.
d) Team personnel when assisting marshals to remove a car from the grid after the start of the race.
e) Team personnel working on a car on the grid during a race suspension in accordance with Article 41.4.
30.10 During a race, the engine may only be started with the starter except in the pit lane or the team’s designated garage area where the use of an external starting device is allowed.
30.11 Drivers taking part in practice and the race must always wear the clothes, helmets and head and neck supports specified in the Code.
30.12 A speed limit of 80km/h will be imposed in the pit lane during the whole Event. However, this limit may be amended by the stewards following a recommendation from the FIA F1 safety delegate.