Why Do F1 Engineers Say 'Box Box' Instead Of Pit Stop?

If you've ever watched a Formula 1 race, seen an episode of Netflix's "Drive to Survive," or happened to be listening to the radio dialogue during the recent "F1" movie, you've almost certainly heard the word 'box' being used as part of the in-race conversation between a driver and his team engineer. Sometimes the word is mentioned during a broader discussion of race strategy. Sometimes it's frantic, with the engineer shouting at a driver to 'box box box', waiting until the last second before making the call to bring the car down pit lane for a change of tires.

In most other motor sports, it's usually just called pitting or making a pit stop, so why do they use the word "box" in Formula 1? Mostly because it's a stronger and more audible word for a driver to hear over the radio. Additionally, some of the word's usage perhaps comes from the German translation of pit stop. Box is an essential piece of lingo used in Formula 1 racing, and one of a few racing terms that can help a new fan familiarize themselves with the world of F1. Let's look closer to see why this word is used in F1 rather than the more traditional "pit."

In Formula 1, the word 'box' directly refers to the pit box. This is the designated area on the pit lane, just in front of a team's garage, where the crew does tire changes, swaps between different tire compounds, and performs other services during the course of a race. A pit box isn't unique to F1, of course. Nearly every type of motorsport has pit boxes for each car or team, usually with strict rules about what kind of work can or can't be done, how cars enter or leave their specific box, and so forth.

The primary reason that F1 teams use the word 'box' rather than 'pit' during radio communication is simply that the word is more distinct and easier to pick up with the ears. Formula 1 cockpits and pit lanes are loud during a race, and even with the latest in communication technology, there's always the chance a word might get lost over the radio. It's crucial that drivers and teams hear each other clearly, and 'box' is simply less likely to be misheard over the radio than the word 'pit'.

It's also been suggested that the usage of the word 'box' in F1 may stem partially from 'boxenstopp', which is the German translation for 'pit stop'. With the many German drivers and team members who have been in the sport through Formula 1's long history, it's possible that over the years, this bit of German language has crossed over into team radio communications. But mostly, 'box' is just a word that's quick to say, easy to understand, and leaves little room for confusion. This is important, especially when considering the kind of intense focus it takes to compete behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car.

What's interesting is that the word 'box' isn't used more in other forms of motorsport. In NASCAR, for example, which typically has far more pit stops during a given race than Formula 1, crew chiefs and drivers still mostly use the word 'pit' when talking race strategy over the radio. Then again, for longtime fans of the sport, it would certainly be a little strange to hear an old school NASCAR crew chief shouting at his driver to "box box box!" during a race at Darlington or Bristol.