McLaren unveiled a highly complex pit stop light system in Barcelona during the third pre-season test, which they hope will gain them extra tenths during stops.
Whilst light systems are common place up and down the grid, with the likes of Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes using them in 2011, the system adopted by McLaren is far more complex.
The team have traditionally used the so called ‘lollipop’ to stop and release its drivers. But with quick stops becoming increasingly important, teams have been looking at ever increasingly complex ways to speed them up.
McLaren’s system uses 28 LED’s to feed information to the driver and the two jackmen at the front and rear of the car.
The driver simply sees a green or red light, telling him when to hit the accelerator. The rear jack-man also sees two lights which let him know when all four tyres have been changed, whilst the front jack-man and chief mechanic see a panel of 16 lights. When each mechanic has finished his part of the stop, he hits a button which activates a green light. When all the lights are green, the car is released.
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