A pit crew is a high-speed, synchronized team of roughly 20 specialists who service a Formula 1 car in a brief time window. Their goal is simply to return the driver to the track in the shortest time possible while ensuring the car is safe and legally compliant.
The team is divided into highly specific roles, including tyre changers, jack men, steadiers, front wing adjusters, and the release controller. The tyre changers are the most surplus, with up to three per wheel. One operates the wheel gun, one removes the old tire, and the last fits the new tire. For the jack men, there is usually one at the nose and one at the rear of the car. Using specialized levers, they lift the entire machine off the ground instantly. Positioned at the sidepods to keep the car from wobbling are the steadiers, and the releaser watches the pit lane traffic before signalling the driver when it is safe to drop the clutch.
