Latest news with #pitstop
The Sun
5 days ago
- Automotive
- The Sun
Terrifying moment Nascar mechanic is struck by flying tire during pit stop in heart-stopping accident
NASCAR produced a terrifying moment in its race last weekend. While racing at Pocono Raceway, a tire was flung into a pit crew member accidentally. 3 3 JP Kealey works as a tire changer for Trackhouse driver Shane Van Gisbergen. However, things went downhill quickly when fellow Trackhouse driver AJ Allmendinger came in at the same time for a stop. Allmendinger came into his pit box too fast, sliding across the pavement and knocking a tire out of a pit crew member's hands. That tire went flying towards Kealey and struck him hard. The impact jammed his air gun directly into the side of his body. Kealey is a former pro lacross player, and was left doubled over in pain before ultimately fighting through the pain. Despite being able to finish the job, Kealey was forced to go to the hospital following the game. It was revealed by Skip Flores of the Stacking Pennies podcast that he suffered two broken ribs. Kealey also later revealed that his injuries included a partially collapsed lung. The footage of the incident is terrifying, and Nascar fans shared how tough Kealey was for getting his job done. American Thunder, NASCAR To Le Mans "Scary moment there on pit road," one fan said. "These guys are STUDS. Insane," another fan said. "Man that guy is a baller for finishing the pit stop anyway," a third fan said. "Nascar pit team tough WOW," a fourth fan said. "Tough, super athletes. His ribs are sore," a fifth fan said. The rough moment on pit lane was ultimately a sign of what was to come during the race. Van Gisbergen ended up finishing 31st at The Great American Getaway 400. Noel "Bud" MIller Jr will fill in as his tire changer for the Quaker State 400 this weekend.
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The Independent
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
F1's Monaco Grand Prix experiment flopped – but two changes can save prestigious race
Kudos for trying. After last year's no-change procession, the kingmakers at Formula One had to change something at the sport's traditional blue-riband event. A mandatory two pit-stops had never been written into the rulebook before; the aroma of mystique was palpable ahead of raceday in Monte-Carlo. As it turned out, the brains and boffins in the garages made a mockery of the regulation. Racing Bulls showed their hand first, with Liam Lawson driving purposefully slowly to hold up the pack behind him, allowing teammate Isack Hadjar to pit again without losing position. Then, Williams followed suit – with Carlos Sainz and then Alex Albon lapping nearly six seconds a lap slower than the frontrunners. For both teams, double points-finishes. A tactic reeking of gamesmanship worked to perfection. It was all fair game – but it was master manipulation. As 2009 world champion Jenson Button put it afterwards: 'It was all just a bit silly.' Even for the drivers who benefited from the strategy, there was little solace in the leaderboard. Their racing instinct was curtailed here, at one of the sport's most glorious circuits to drive. That is not right. 'I must say this is not the way I like to race, or dream about racing in Monaco,' said Sainz, who finished 10th, afterwards. 'A bit disappointed with the whole race. The two-stops changes nothing around Monaco, people are still going to try and manipulate the final result. We either find a solution to the race-pace or it will always be like this in Monaco. 'In the midfield, it backfired. It made things even more manipulated for people to get two stops and pit windows. I'm happy for F1 to try things. We tried, for me it didn't work. Maybe we just need to forbid the pace manipulation.' Announcing the new rule in February, the FIA insisted the mandatory three different tyre sets was implemented with the aim of 'promoting better racing.' But as Martin Brundle succinctly put on commentary: 'The focus was on pitting, not racing.' Sainz's teammate, Alex Albon, went a step further, apologising to fans watching on at home: 'It's not how we want to go racing. I know we put on a bad show for everyone and made some drivers angry behind us. 'It's taking advantage of the track and the size of the cars. Just frustrating and apologies to everyone who watched it. Yeah, sorry!' In the closing stages, George Russell actually decided to illegally cut a corner at the Nouvelle chicane in order to squeeze past a slow-moving Albon. The Mercedes driver duly received a drive-through penalty but despite also having to pit twice late on, he still finished 11th – higher than he would have done if he merely stayed behind Albon. Russell later called the new rule a 'flawed system.' Yet the simple facts are that the circuit configurations of the principality street circuit, coupled with the size of this era of Formula One car, make overtaking near-impossible in dry conditions. The use of DRS around the banana-straight is ineffective and if you try to overtake anywhere on the circuit, contact is unavoidable. However, the battle at the front was tight on the timesheet until the very end. Max Verstappen held out for a late red-flag in front, before Lando Norris (who lapped most of the field twice) claimed victory – his first since the season-opener in Australia. Much like most years, it was a win secured with a scintillating final lap in qualifying. Yet the unprecedented race rule change will need some modification for 2026. Today, it fell flat. When you have Russell suggesting sprinklers and Verstappen proposing banana skins – a la Mario Kart – you know that the regulation has backfired. A maximum lap time would solve Sunday's issue – and could be applied in a similar way to track limits. Enforcing at least one pit-stop in the first half of the race could also stop such radical strategies. It may have seemed borderline farcical at times, but F1 should not be ridiculed for trying something different. They tried, they failed. And with a contract in Monaco until 2031, they'll be trying to find a different remedy for many a year to come.
News.com.au
26-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Really scary!' Crash takes out pit crew
Motorsport: Robert Shwartzman hit the wall during his pit stop, in scary scenes at the Indy 500.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Joker lap? F1 paddock mulls how to fix 'dull' Monaco Grand Prix
A attempt to jazz up the Monaco Grand Prix by making drivers take two pit-stops was widely seen to have failed on Sunday as Formula One personalities mulled radical ideas to boost excitement next year. Former F1 driver Nick Heidfeld told Sky Germany that a "joker lap" involving "shortcuts" could be a way to make overtaking possible on the famous twisting streets of the glamorous principality. Advertisement Lando Norris won from pole as the top four again stayed the same. Red Bull's world champion Max Verstappen tried to take the new two-stop rule to the extreme by boxing for a second time on the penultimate lap. But even though he led for much of the closing stages, all fans knew he would have to pit and Norris would win. Ex-driver Ralf Schumacher said: "Such a race can not be allowed again." Last year the top 10 in qualifying were the top 10 in the race. Although Lewis Hamilton and Isack Hadjar made ground into the top six this year, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff was not impressed. "It was worse than just having one stop. It's a qualifying race. The whole time you can't overtake," he said after his drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli could only finish 11th and 18th. Advertisement "The event is spectacular ... but the race on Sunday is a bit dull." Monaco, on the F1 calendar since the championship began in 1950, has seen its contract extended until 2031 despite worries about the racing. Amazon boss Jeff Bezos and football icon Zinedine Zidane were among the glitterati in attendance on Sunday despite the processional race, with the sun at least shining unlike in recent years. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was more charitable than others about the two pit-stop idea. "It was worth trying," he said.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Frustration and slow driving at Monaco GP as F1 rule change backfires
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands gets a pit service during the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix race at the Monaco racetrack in Monaco, Sunday, May 25, 2025. (Gabriel Bouys/Pool Photo via AP) Williams driver Alexander Albon of Thailand steers his car during the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix race at the Monaco racetrack in Monaco, Sunday, May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Williams driver Alexander Albon of Thailand steers his car during the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix race at the Monaco racetrack in Monaco, Sunday, May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands gets a pit service during the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix race at the Monaco racetrack in Monaco, Sunday, May 25, 2025. (Gabriel Bouys/Pool Photo via AP) Williams driver Alexander Albon of Thailand steers his car during the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix race at the Monaco racetrack in Monaco, Sunday, May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Going slow was one way to secure points at the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday as Formula 1's much-hyped attempt to shake up the prestigious race brought little drama. Overtaking is near-impossible on Monaco's narrow streets. To make the race more of a strategy contest, F1's governing body, the FIA, required two tire changes in the hope that smartly timed pit stops would create drama. Advertisement Last year's winner Charles Leclerc had predicted 'chaos' but instead it was a frustrating race for many drivers as some drove extra slowly to create a gap for a teammate in front to pit without losing positions. Mercedes driver George Russell argued the go-slow led to dangerous situations. Norris criticizes 'manufactured' racing Winner Lando Norris was scathing about the rule change, something he saw as an attempt to create 'manufactured racing.' Norris spent much of the race behind Max Verstappen, who delayed his second stop, hoping for a red-flag stoppage. That would have allowed a free tire change, and maybe given Verstappen the win. Advertisement 'There's not been any more overtaking here. I thought that was what was wanted,' Norris said. 'Now you just give people opportunity by luck, by waiting for a red flag, waiting for a safety car. You aren't getting a more deserved winner in the end of things.' 'Dangerously slow' driving frustrates Russell Mercedes driver George Russell spent much of his race stuck behind slow cars. Tensions boiled over when he accused Williams' Alex Albon of 'driving dangerously slow' and 'slamming on the brakes' in a terse radio message from Russell to his team. Russell overtook Albon by cutting a chicane, adding he'd rather 'take the penalty' than wait any longer. The stewards had predicted drivers might try that and Russell landed a longer-than-usual penalty which dropped him back behind Albon. Russell finished 11th, his worst result this year. Advertisement Williams wasn't the first team to drop the pace. Its drivers were reacting to an earlier go-slow from Racing Bulls. Liam Lawson held up cars and secured space for his teammate Isack Hadjar to make two stops before many other drivers had made one. In the end, though, none of the more unusual strategies made much difference. Verstappen made his long-delayed second stop and placed fourth, exactly where he'd started. Racing Bulls had little to show for its efforts as Hadjar started fifth but finished sixth. Both Williams drivers stayed in the points after each moved up a spot to ninth and 10th, but that gain was only because Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin broke down. ___ AP auto racing:
