How Arrow McLaren plans to revolutionize pitstops in IndyCar

As in many European disciplines, mechanics IndyCar They are responsible for both rebuilding the cars between and during race weekends, but they also handle pit stops, namely tire changes and refueling. Conversely, in the other major motorsport in the United States, the NASCARThe people in charge of changing tires and filling gas tanks are very often former high-level athletes, mainly from American football, renowned for their physical strength and running speed.

These are undeniable advantages for changing stock car tires, as each side of the car must be lifted separately, right then left, while a stop can last between 13 and 15 seconds. Since tires generally take longer to fit than fuel, the crew's speed is paramount. In IndyCar, this is somewhat less of a concern, as fuel typically runs out after all four tires have been changed. Nevertheless, for one specific spot—the outside rear tire—the mechanics must run, walk around the car as it enters the pit, and complete their stop.

Tony Kanaan, winner of the Indianapolis 500 in 2013, believes that IndyCar could take inspiration from other sports, and that a kind of complacency has taken hold, with the best mechanics finding themselves almost "immune," even in the event of poor performances on the pit lane: "The tradition in IndyCar was to have mechanics who worked on their cars and also handled pit stops."he explained during a practice session for the 2026 Indy 500. “And that’s something that makes us perhaps a little too comfortable with it. If you’re a good mechanic, but average at pit stops, you know that no one will replace you because you can’t risk losing a good mechanic just to make a better pit stop. I’m convinced that, looking at all the other categories, everyone is trying to save time on the track, but also in the pits.”

A close friend of seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson (who also owns his own team, Legacy Motor Club), Tony Kanaan came up with the idea of ​​conducting a full-scale test during April practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. On Ryan Hunter-Reay's No. 31 car, two Legacy Motor Club mechanics changed the right rear tire. car of the winner of the 2014 Indy 500.

“An athlete’s mentality is different. Athletes have immense determination. Having mechanics who work all day on the car, then do pit stop practice, then have to go play sports… it’s not something they’re used to, and some don’t want to adapt to it. I wanted to give my guys a little motivation, so I talked to Jimmie Johnson, who has a NASCAR team, and asked him for two guys to take care of the left rear tire. We didn’t tell anyone. We usually do four pit stops per team per day. These two guys showed up, and they did 89! It wasn’t to show my guys they weren’t good, but just to show them that if you have the budget, it can be worth it, because you can win races in the pits.” If you're in the lead before the final pit stop and then come out third, you can lose the Indy 500.

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Kanaan explained his reasoning by simply applying it to other positions within the team. When a driver doesn't perform at the expected level, their time with the team is ultimately quite short. The same applies to engineers and mechanics. “I’m very transparent with the team, and we don’t blame anyone. But we are a high-performance team. We look for the fastest drivers, and we also look for the fastest pit crews. At Barber, a bad pit stop cost us a chance to win the race, so I had to try something different, just to see. For me, the fastest mechanics have to be in the pit lane, and nowhere else. I know I’m not very popular when I make these kinds of choices, but once we win an Indy 500 or a championship, the whole team will be thrilled because we’re all in this together.”

The former Brazilian driver did not expect his tactic to cause so much of a stir in an IndyCar paddock very attached to its habits: “Bringing the guys to the Indy tests, I didn’t expect it to cause such a stir! Everyone told me it would never work, but I’m certain it can make a big difference. In terms of budget, it’s the most difficult thing, but if that’s what we have to do, we have to do it. An athlete will always handle pressure better than the average person; I’m sorry to say it, but we’re conditioned that way.”