Mercedes tests Ferrari-like traffic light system

The race to perfect ultra-fast pitstops in 2010 continues to heat up.

With refuelling banned in 2010, the limiting factor in pistops this year will be the teams’ ability to jack up the car and change the tyres.

"Our record is 2.83 seconds," said Williams’ test boss Dickie Stanford, according to Auto Motor und Sport.

Ferrari has introduced a new quick release-and-replace wheel nut, and Mercedes’ efforts to speed up pitstops is also evident.

The former Brawn team has been testing Ferrari-style traffic lights, and also mechanical quick-release jacks, in order to steer around the new ban on powered systems.

With Vitaly Petrov at the wheel, the Renault crew practiced dozens of real-world pitstops at Barcelona on Thursday, most in the realm of three seconds.