Sauber Achieves Season's Fastest Pit Stop at Spanish Grand Prix

The Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya presented teams with significant strategic challenges last weekend, ultimately highlighting the crucial role of efficient pit stops. Amidst tire strategy complexities, the Sauber team distinguished itself by executing the fastest pit stop of the entire race, momentarily surpassing rivals typically dominant in this area. While Ferrari has often led the standings for quick tire changes this season, it was Sauber who rose to the occasion in Barcelona. During lap 19 of the race, the Swiss-based team serviced Gabriel Bortoleto's car in a remarkably swift 2.13 seconds. This rapid turnaround involved changing from worn soft tires to fresh mediums, a testament to the crew's precision and speed under pressure. The competitive nature of pit stop performance was evident throughout the field. Alpine also demonstrated impressive speed, completing the second-quickest stop at 2.15 seconds. Ferrari, despite not claiming the top spot on this occasion, was only a fraction slower at 2.17 seconds. Other front-running teams, including McLaren, Mercedes, and Red Bull, also performed pit stops within a tight range of 2.20 to 2.30 seconds, underscoring the fine margins in modern Formula 1. This performance marked Sauber's second fastest pit stop of the 2025 season and had a notable impact on the overall DHL Fastest Pit Stop Award standings. The 2.13-second stop catapulted Sauber from fifth place to third in the season-long competition, moving them ahead of established frontrunners Red Bull and Mercedes, indicating a strong and improving capability within their pit crew operations. The strategic landscape of the Spanish Grand Prix contributed to the importance of pit stop execution. Issues with getting the hard compound tires into their optimal working window meant that many teams opted for more stops than initially anticipated, primarily relying on soft and medium compounds. This necessitated two or even three pit stops for many drivers, placing increased demands on the pit crews and making quick service a potentially decisive factor in track position battles. Despite the efficiency shown in the pit lane, Gabriel Bortoleto was unable to convert the rapid stop into a points finish, ultimately finishing 12th. His race outcome was reportedly impacted by the timing of a Safety Car period. Nevertheless, the driver noted the positive impact of recent car upgrades, stating that the car showed encouraging pace during the race and expressing optimism about the team's direction and momentum heading towards the upcoming race in Montreal.