A Formula 1 pit stop has become a spectacle in itself: twenty mechanics, four wheels and less than two seconds. The race for the world record has been for years a contest between Red Bull, Williams and McLaren, and it often decides positions in a race. Here we review the record's evolution up to McLaren's 1.80 seconds.
The record's evolution
| Time | Team | Where and when |
|---|---|---|
| 1,92 s | Williams | Earlier mark (some sources) |
| 1,91 s | Red Bull | 2019 British GP, with Gasly; tied Williams's mark |
| 1,88 s | Red Bull | Red Bull record, before the Brazil one |
| 1,82 s | Red Bull | 2019 Brazilian GP |
| 1,80 s | McLaren | 2023 Qatar GP (8 October), with Lando Norris; Guinness record |
Some sources give 1.92 s for the oldest mark; figures differ slightly.
From Williams and Red Bull to McLaren
According to the media, Williams for a time shared the mark of 1.92 seconds, and Red Bull broke the record at the 2019 British GP with 1.91 seconds in Pierre Gasly's stop, tying Williams's mark. Red Bull then went down to 1.88 seconds and, at the 2019 Brazilian GP, to 1.82 seconds. The older figures vary slightly depending on the source.
McLaren's record: 1.80 seconds in Qatar 2023
On 8 October 2023, at the Lusail circuit, McLaren changed all four wheels on Lando Norris's car in 1.80 seconds, which Guinness World Records recognises as the fastest stop in history. The record beat Red Bull's 2019 mark by two hundredths and had stood for four years. One aggregator says that in 2026 nobody has beaten it and that the closest has been 1.90 seconds, although it is a secondary source.
We have found no reliable data on the average pit-stop time or its cost, so we do not include them.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest pit stop in F1 history?
1.80 seconds, by McLaren with Lando Norris at the 2023 Qatar GP, according to Guinness World Records.
Who held the record before McLaren?
Red Bull, with 1.82 seconds in Brazil 2019; before that, 1.88 and 1.91 seconds at the 2019 British GP, with Gasly.
Sources
- Guinness World Records · Fastest Formula One pit stop
- GrandPrix247 · McLaren now hold the record for the fastest pit stop in F1 history
- ESPN · What can you do in 1.91 seconds?
- Formula1.com · Watch Red Bull break the pit stop world record again
- Red Bull · The most incredible world records in F1 history
- Sportsmonkie · Fastest F1 pit stop ever: the full leaderboard
Figures and quotes come from the linked sources and may have changed since.
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