When does preparation for the new season begin for the team?
Matt: The first pit stop practice of the year is in the first week of January. We use this as a chance to let the team try out different roles within the stop. We have three crews - Race 1, 2, and 3 - and not everyone does every race, so having team members able to step in and fulfill multiple roles is so important and gives everyone a lot of confidence.
We want to make sure the teamwork factor is high. We have gym sessions that focus on general fitness as well as cardio and within those we will try and mix characters up, so pairing those who go to the gym a lot with those who do not go very often, so that they can push each other along. We try to make it as fun as possible all the way the through the season.
What makes a good member of the Pit Crew? What skills are you looking for if you are bringing someone new into the team?
The most important aspect of bringing a new member of the team through is setting a plan from day one. What do you want? Where do you want to be? We want to be as welcoming as possible and give everybody a chance to try everything. You have to want to be on the pit crew. You must be good at handling that pressure, not just in the stops themselves, but between sessions – we might need to re-build the car after an accident or problem, for example.
Each part of a pit stop will come with requirements. If you are on a wheel gun you need that hand-to-eye coordination. If you are going to be taking the wheel on and off then you need that physical strength, and the same goes for the rear jack. If you need to lift the car up after one lap when it’s full of fuel, then you must have that physical capability.
If you’re on the front jack and that car is going to be coming at you down the pitlane at 80km/h, then you can’t have any fear. You must want to do those roles, and we have a lot of great characters that come forward. It is so exciting, and they get a buzz from it.