Source: REUTERS/HAMAD I MOHAMMED
[Saba Sports News] With the conclusion of the 2023 Formula One racing
season, teams are conducting year-end evaluations. Jonathan Whitley, the sports
director of the Red Bull Racing Team, which claimed the team championship for
the year, recently revealed an arduous experience during the Mexican Grand Prix
held in late October. Due to dietary issues, a significant portion of the
team’s staff suffered from stomach problems in Mexico, leading to an incomplete
pit crew lineup. It wasn’t until the morning of the race day that the team
managed to assemble a full crew, which included three maintenance personnel
taking on multiple roles. Typically, each race requires 21 pit crew members and
several reserves. However, this year presented exceptional challenges. Some
staff members missed multiple races due to illnesses, personal commitments like
weddings or funerals, and other reasons. To address this situation, the team
plans to allocate additional resources to train more reserve pit crew members
in the future. Jonathan acknowledged that the Mexican Grand Prix was the
toughest race the team faced this year. Despite the difficulties, the team’s
collective efforts paid off, and Max Verstappen once again showcased his
dominance by winning the Mexican Grand Prix.