Fastest GT3 pit stop ever! 73 thousandths decide insane DTM duel

– It was the race of pit stop records in the DTM: First, the BMW team Schubert set the pace on Saturday at the Sachsenring and completed Kelvin van der Linde’s pit stop in 5.583 seconds. This broke the previous Winward record from the previous year, when the Mercedes-AMG team changed all four tires on Jules Gounon in 5.652 seconds.

Four minutes later, the Comtoyou crew topped that – and conjured a 5.510-second pit stop for Aston Martin driver Nicolas Baert. “We thought we had the absolute fastest now, but then Comtoyou came – and was slightly faster,” refers team boss Torsten Schubert to the 73 thousandths of a second that ultimately made the difference.

Never before has a pit stop been that fast for a GT3 car – and since the switch to the GT3 regulations in 2021, no DTM crew has done it either. And that, even though in the first year six instead of four members were allowed to work. Back then, hardly any crew was faster than seven seconds.

How the Aston Martin newcomers became the reference in pit stops

“Today, a pit stop lasting 6.9 seconds puts you in 13th place,” notes Comtoyou DTM head Mario Schuhbauer on how much the level in the DTM has improved since 2021. In the past eight races, the Aston Martin team, which certainly does not have the biggest budget in the field, has provided the fastest stop five times.

But how did the Belgians, who have only been competing in the DTM since 2025, make the leap to the top? “We already trained intensively in winter, but after Zandvoort we adjusted our system and the positions again,” reveals Schuhbauer. “Since then, it has been going even better.”

Pit-Stop Challenge as motivation: “They want this trophy”

An enormous motivation for the mechanics is the Pitstop Challenge introduced by the DTM in 2023, in which the “underdogs” are only one point behind the Emil Frey team. “The victory means so much to the guys,” Schuhbauer knows. “Then you are called on stage as a pit crew at the big award ceremony, when the DTM champion is also crowned. They want this trophy.”

For that, they also sweat after work – in their free time. “Today, they all train together again in the gym,” the Comtoyou DTM head says after returning from the Sachsenring. “Not because someone says you have to, but because they want to be fit due to the extremely high level. It has become a sport – and that fascinates me a lot, because I don’t think that’s the case for everyone.”

Frenchman as key person: Every video is analyzed together

A key person is the Frenchman Pierre Planat, who himself is part of the crew as the plugger who loosens and attaches the tire – and sets the direction. He ensured that every position is doubly staffed so that the crew is prepared for absences. Even on race days, he often sits in front of the laptop for a long time and analyzes every stop with the help of a special program.

“Every pit stop is recorded,” says Schuhbauer. “When we train, everyone sits down afterwards, orders something to eat. And then every video is not only watched but meticulously analyzed – with times and references. Sometimes we overlay videos: What was done differently? What were the running paths? That is one of the biggest factors.”

Group photo with the Schubert crew

Planat was also the one who had the idea to take a group photo with the Schubert crew on the day of the pit stop records. Because he knew: It might not happen again so soon that two stops are completed in just 5.5 seconds on one day.

“The guys should do it calmly,” explains team boss Torsten Schubert about his team’s approach, which has been known for strong stops for years. “I always say: It doesn’t have to be 5.5 seconds. That works sometimes when everything runs perfectly.”