What a way to close out the 2023 season! I am of course talking about the closest finish in 24H SERIES history at December’s Hankook 12H KUWAIT. Two of the finest race teams, after eleven and a half hours of motor racing, finding themselves separated by half a second.

The CP Racing Mercedes of Charles Espenlaub and the Manamauri Energy by Ebimotors Porsche of Sergiu Nicolae going into the final 10 laps, nose-to-tail, and at times side-by-side, to give us perhaps THE most exciting finish to any race I've seen for a long time.

The post race interviews I received from the drivers involved, and their differing opinions of how those last 10 laps played out, were not a surprise to me (we will leave that debate for an evening around the table in the pub with a log fire burning in the fireplace).

I know I always tell you that endurance races are won on the pitwall. And yes, given that finish in Kuwait, that may not always be the case. It cannot be denied though that the 11.5 hours of pitwall strategising leading up to that moment is effectively what put those two teams in position for the final 10-lap sprint to the flag.

A big part of that pitwall strategizing relies upon every member of the team doing their job, and none more so in the many pit stops we see across such a long distance event. What's fascinating about pit stops is that there are always many ways that things can be done more efficiently and therefore better. There are so many variables that can come into play that you could even call is a high-speed game of chess.

For instance, the order in which the wheels are changed can shave time from the stop. An efficient order of operation means that the distance a mechanic has to move around the car is less than the total distance around the car (starting at the front-right corner and finishing at the rear-right tends to work best if a team has to do this with just one lone crew member). It all depends on the circumstances and of course the pit stop rules and regulations.

Watching a well drilled pit stop, to me, is like watching a beautifully choreographed ballet. Working in close proximity to each other without colliding and increasing the stop time is tantamount to a scene from Swan Lake.

Reducing the ‘lifting’ and ‘carrying’ and ‘standing still’ elements of a pit stop can be as simple as having tyres placed in readiness for the arrival of the car wherever the rules allow. Or having the tools required, such as mounts to sit wheels, in the right place, enabling the mechanics to grab the wheels from waist height. 

Ergonomics and physical fitness play an important part too. Mechanics have to be enormously fit, and strong enough to work with relative ease and, of course, speed.

The driver change process is another element of the stop teams can never practice enough: during a stop, the drivers themselves effectively become temporary members of the pit stop crew. The driver getting in and the one getting out need to assist each other without getting in each other's way. This can only be achieved with lots and lots of rehearsal.

For those of you joining us in Dubai this weekend, I urge you to take a seat opposite the pit lane and observe the pit stop process. Afterwards, take a moment to think what you could do to improve the process you’ve just witnessed. Every tenth of a second counts, after all.

A well performed pit stop is an art form to me, as they can contribute massively to a win and prove just as important as the drivers hitting their braking points and apices. Rule makers in other series have reduced the variance of pit stops by introducing minimum pit stop times. I'm not a fan of this as pit stops are a pivotal part of any endurance race and add that overall team contribution to the whole race. Crew members feel part of that podium process even though the drivers tend to take all the glory.

And on that note, given how important a pit stop can be, and as we move toward the chequered flag for the 2024 Hankook 24H DUBAI, I'm pretty confident there will be plenty of soap operas playing out as we bring the curtain down on another fabulous 24H SERIES Middle East Trophy this weekend.