Pit lane
In motorsport, a pit lane is the area of a racetrack where the teams' pitches are located. The pits are the place where the individual teams look after the racing cars and where the pit stops are made to refuel the vehicles and, if necessary, to change tires.
The pit lane is usually at the level of the start-finish straight of the racetrack. Therefore, the pit entrance also has the function of the finish line to keep the lap count up. The exit from the pit lane usually ends in the start-finish straight. The pit lane is divided into an outer (approach and exit) and an inner area, with a strict speed limit of 60 to 100 km / h in the inner area . During a race, access to the pit lane is only permitted for team personnel and selected people. In races with refueling, the pit crew must be equipped with homologated flame-resistant clothing.
There are several pit facilities on some tracks, but only one is used during a race. For example, there is another pit lane on the Bahrain International Circuit , which is the private facility of the royal family. In Spa-Francorchamps , the (newer) facility in front of La Source has only been available to Formula 1 teams since the renovation in 1979. The participants in the frame races use the older facility between La Source and Eau Rouge .