What Is the Speed Limit in a Formula 1 Pitlane?

Motorsports, in general, are known for speed, without which the fun of the event gets reduced by a country mile. As for F1, it’s the same, or to some extent even more. Formula 1, in all formats, is a sport of speed. Be it the qualification, the sprint, or Sunday’s race, speed is ultimate.

The faster a car, the better it is for the constructor as a whole. However, an F1 car is only allowed to showcase its speed on the track under green flags, not anywhere else. While yellow flags require the car to slow down on the track, there is no definite speed limit like the one that exists in the pitlane. What is the F1 Pit speed limit, then?

Even though this sounds oxymoronic, the standard speed limit for an F1 car in a pitlane should not be above 60 kilometers to 80 kilometers per hour (37-49 mph), depending on the track. Disobeying the limit or exceeding it will incur a fine of 100 euros per kilometer crossed (in practice sessions).

Well, for an F1 car, the average speed is around 180 kilometers (111 mph), whereas the top speed usually attained is anything beyond 300 kilometers (186 mph). Limiting those cars to going under 60 kilometers (37 mph) in the pitlane is very important due to safety reasons. As the pitlane is usually packed with pit crews and officials, speeding there would not be a good idea.

Throwback: When there was no Pit speed limit

F1 wasn’t like this since its inception. There was a time when there weren’t such rules, such as the speed limit in the pitlane. Speeding in the pitlane to get the tires changed was a part of the racing strategy until the 1990s. The F1 Pit speed limit was first trialed in 1993, followed by its introduction after the tragic 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

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Over the years, the speed limitations on the pit have become stricter. The 60-kilometer speed limit zone ends shortly after the last F1 team garage, close to the start/finish line. The drivers can only release the limiter and start to accelerate at that point.

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