--- title: "Watch Red Bull F1 Pull Off a 2.8-Second Pit Stop In the Dark" description: "To see how fast Red Bull's Formula 1 pit crew is, they practiced a pit stop in the dark and the results are shocking." date: "2023-12-17" modified: "2023-12-17" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/red-bull-f1-pit-crew-pulls-off-a-2-8-second-pit-stop-in-the-dark" categories: - "F1" - "News" - "Racing" --- # Watch Red Bull F1 Pull Off a 2.8-Second Pit Stop In the Dark ![]() *Red Bull* Formula 1 pit crews are nothing short of awe-inspiring. During any routine pit stop, their combination of skill, precision, and coordination allows them to swap four heavy wheels and tires in just a couple of seconds. It takes me longer to put a socket on a single lug. One of the reasons pit crews are so good is their muscle memory, which allows them to swap wheels with their eyes closed. Literally. And that's exactly what the[ Red Bull]() F1 pit crew does in this new video. To put their pit crew to the test, the Red Bull F1 team shut out the lights in a garage and had them attempt a typical tire swap in complete darkness. During the [Qatar Grand Prix](), that same pit crew pulled off a 1.88-second pit stop in practice, which is lightning-fast. But it's an entirely different beast when they can't see. ![]() **Red Bull** During the first few practice runs, they tried on a static car with the lights on but with their visors covered with black tape. It worked well enough but then they had to try on a car that rolled in to stop, which naturally made it a bit trickier. However, their best practice run time was 4.93 seconds, which is shockingly good. The real test came when the lights went out. Only the driver and the jack operator could see, using night vision goggles, otherwise it wouldn't be safe. With ten tries to get their fastest time, the Red Bull pit crew was able to do a 2.84-second pit stop tire change on their last attempt, which is remarkable. ![]() **Red Bull** Does this test have any practical use, outside of good marketing for the Red Bull F1 team? I'm not a pit crew engineer but I doubt it. Still, it's cool to see just how amazing all [F1 ]()pit crews are, not only Red Bull's. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()