Formula 1 is considering a pit lane speed increase to make races more dynamic and unlock bold new strategies for teams.
The idea of increasing pit lane speed limits in Formula 1 is gaining serious momentum. As we previously reported and as confirmed this Friday in Miami, F1 is exploring this change to add more excitement to the sport.
Back in the day, before the tragic deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger in 1994, drivers would charge into and out of the pits at full throttle.
“Everyone remembers Nigel Mansell flying through the pit lane, gunning it to his pit box and blasting back out,” said Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack with a nostalgic smile. “It was incredible to watch. But that’s not coming back.”
The current proposal isn’t about going back to unlimited speeds, nor will it apply to every circuit. F1 cars are now incredibly close in performance, and with the added challenge of turbulent air, many recent races have lacked drama. A higher pit lane speed could help shake things up by making extra pit stops less costly, and therefore more likely. That opens the door to bolder strategies.
This year, F1 is already requiring two pit stops in Monaco, and CEO Stefano Domenicali has pushed tire supplier Pirelli to take a more aggressive approach with tire selections across other races.
But this potential speed increase won’t be universal. Tracks with narrow pit lanes, like Monaco, Zandvoort, Melbourne, and Singapore, currently have the lowest speed limits, capped at just 60 km/h. The idea is to raise that to 80 km/h on some of those circuits, where it’s feasible. This push is reportedly coming more from Liberty Media, F1’s commercial rights holder, rather than the FIA, which tends to prioritize safety.
“F1 has a working group looking into how to make races more exciting,” Krack explained. “But we do need to weigh the benefits of better entertainment against the risks.”
Monaco is already off the table for a speed increase, and Zandvoort is also unlikely due to its tight layout. “Increasing the speed there just doesn’t have much impact,” Krack said.
“I don’t believe speeding up the pit lane just for the sake of the show is the right call, unless it truly makes an extra stop a real option.”
However, he points out that modern circuits with wider and longer pit lanes could benefit. “On those tracks, we could shave 5 to 7 seconds off a pit stop’s total time. That’s huge for team strategy.”
So, is this plan likely to move forward?
“Yes,” Krack said. “There’s pretty strong support across the board.”
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Pit Lane Speed Boost Could Redefine F1 Strategies Pit Lane Speed Boost Could Redefine F1 Strategies
