Behind the public-facing drivers and team principals of an F1 team lies the hard-working pit crew. This team of individuals has a huge responsibility. Each team’s pit crew consists of 22 people who service both vehicles. Their duties include stabilizing vehicles, changing the tires, making aerodynamic adjustments, and safely releasing the car. Given the nature of the job, members of the pit crew can earn anywhere between $30,000 (€26,268) to $1,000,000 (€875,606).
An important member of this team is the tire changer. 12 of 22 members of the team are involved in changing tires. One person removes the old tire, whilst the other puts on a new one on. Similarly, one member of the crew tightens and loosens the wheel nut. Given the major responsibility these mechanics have, it’s no surprise that they are paid well.
Tire changers have a pre-race salary of $5,000 (€4,378) on average. However, one can earn up to $350,000 annually and receive bonuses of $2,500 (€2,189). The bonus is contingent on their driver winning a race. On average, the current pit stop time is 2 to 2.5 seconds to get a fresh set of tires onto the car.
The world record for the fastest pit stop belongs to the Red Bull F1 team. They earned the honor at the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix. At the race, the crew managed to change Max Verstappen’s tires and get him back on track in 1.82s. This was key in helping him secure the win at the end of that event.
Who is the highest-paid member of an F1 pit crew?
A pit crew team usually includes a crew chief, someone for refueling, tire carriers, jack operators, wingmen, stabilizers, the starter man, tire changers, and a fire extinguisher man. In this team of 22 people, the crew chief is the highest-paid individual. While the rest of the crew’s work is majorly physical, the crew chief also makes strategic decisions. Subsequently, his decisions heavily affect the outcome of their driver and the race.
Some of the responsibilites of a Crew chief is to decide the type of tires for the race, the management of pit crews, the communication with the driver, etc. The salary for this role is roughly $10,000 (€8,756) per race which works out to $1,000,000 (€875,606) annually. They also enjoy the race-winning bonuses, similar to the rest of the pit crew. Crew Chiefs can get an average bonus of $5,000 (€4,378). Additionally, it is their responsibility to divide the bonus amount amongst the rest of the crew.
The fire extinguisher employee is the lowest-paid individual in the pit crew. The average income for this job profile is $500 (€437) per race, or an annual salary of $30,000 (€26,268). Their race-winning bonus can range around $250 (€218) [All figures are according to Front Office Sports].
