The pit area of the Long Beach CA Grand Prix was a great place to document what goes in to readying drivers for a major racing event. Here we see South African Jody Scheckter driving for Ferrari, which was his last team before retirement.
It's far easier to get images from the pit area on a Friday practice day, like this one. During those times, returning drivers get reacquainted with the track, while new ones familiarize themselves with it in advance of qualifying and race days. Most FI tracks are city streets, with routes that change slightly from year to year. And that's not all that changes...every year the cars get more technologically advanced and hopefully safer than in prior competitions. Additionally, the pit crews are working hard to optimize conditions for the drivers....as temperature and weather shifts, the mechanics make slight modifications to the aerodynamic surfaces, suspension and more. No doubt that Friday practices prepare cars and drivers better for the main event.
Location: Long Beach, CA.