Star Wars Day at the 6 Hours of Spa – As an accredited motorsport photographer we are granted access to some pretty amazing and sometimes scary places and get to see a side of the sport that the guys and girls in the grandstands and terraces can only see on tv or in photographs. The pitlane is one such place.
The pit lane is both the quietest and the most frenetic and dangerous place on the circuit, so much so that as photographers when working in the pit lanes during FIAWEC or ACO (Le Mans 24H) races we have to wear fire suits and helmets. As a result some of us look like teletubbies and others look like super heroes.
It was rather apt that this year at Spa we celebrated Star Wars Day “May the Forth…” We didn’t get to see Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker but there were numerous storm trooper squads orchestrated by a car controller (lollipop man)
The car controller is the commander he is the link between the pit wall, the driver and the pit crew. Nothing happens without the car controller!
On the command of the car controller the storm troopers are ready to refuel (both car and driver).
Change wheels
Clean windscreens.
And oversee driver changes
Sometimes there is a rebel in the squad
But nothing is missed by the Storm troopers
Or by the Galactic Emperors!
Once the driver is clear
And the controller is happy the car is released.
Back to warp speed…
For more images of the 6-hours of Spa, check out our website: www.virtualmotorpix.com
Written by: John Mountney
Images by: Virtual Motorpix/John Mountney and Glen Smale
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