Ferrari designs wheel nut for fast pitstops

(GMM) Ferrari has designed a new wheel nut in an effort to win F1's 2010 pitstop race.

With in-race refuelling not allowed this year for the first time since 1993, Williams hinted recently that tire pitstops in 2010 could be as short as sub-three seconds.

Spain's El Pais newspaper reports that Ferrari has responded to the challenge by designing a cone-shaped nut that integrates better with the wheel gun.

The nut also features the automatic triggering of its fastener, where previously it needed to be pulled manually by a mechanic.

"We have worked over the winter to speed up the process of changing tires," said designer Nikolas Tombazis.