RED-FLAG RACE STOPPAGES IN F1

Red-flag race stoppages don’t happen often in Formula 1, which is probably why some were uncertain of the rules during the pause in the Italian Grand Prix two weekends ago. As we saw, the cars line up not on the grid but in the fast lane in the pits. Teams can work on the cars but only to do the following: start the engine and any directly associated preparation; add required compressed gases; fit or remove permitted cooling and heating devices; change air ducts around the front and rear brakes and radiators; make changes for driver comfort; repair any accident damage; make front wing set-up adjustments; and, perhaps most significantly, change wheels and tyres. At Monza, Racing Point’s Lance Stroll avoided a pit stop in race conditions by switching tyres during the red flag period and ended up third.