Ferrari have set themselves the target of practising 1,000 pit-stops before the F1 season gets underway in Bahrain. Red Bull are known for being one of the fastest teams in the paddock when it comes to pitting their cars, but the Scuderia are looking to pose a challenge in this area. The Italian team have created a special 'operating theatre' in Maranello to enable the crew to practise pit-stops, Motorsport Italia reports. In the building next to the Fiorano track, two teams of mechanics perform 20 stops three times per week. As such, Ferrari aim to have practised 1,000 pit-stops before the first race of the 2023 season at the Bahrain International Circuit on 5 March.
Ferrari's pit-stop plan ahead of 2023
While the team are not aiming to produce the fastest pit-stops, they hope to ensure that they consistently pit their cars in under three seconds. The squad use the 2018 Ferrari SF-71 for their practice sessions. Ferrari achieved 73 per cent of stops under three seconds in 2022, but were left disappointed at not reaching their target of 80 per cent. Now, the outfit have raised the goal to 84 per cent in 2023. Another aspect of the Scuderia's plan to improve will involve having two teams ready to perform pit-stops, meaning that 'reserves' are just as prepared as permanent crew members. After posing a championship challenge in the early stages of the season, Ferrari's momentum slipped away in 2022 while Red Bull became increasingly dominant en route to both titles. The Italian squad finished second in the Constructors' Championship, some 205 points away from their rivals.
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