When the McLaren pit crew refuelled a car, changed its tyres and relayed information to their driver in less than seven seconds at the Spanish Grand Prix in 2001, they were just doing their jobs.
But 700 miles away in the break room at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), Dr Martin Elliott and his colleagues were watching after completing a life-saving operation on a young child.
The brief glimpse would change how the doctors approached patient care. From surgery-to-ICU handovers and neonatal care to air-ambulance response times, F1’s innovations have made an impact far beyond the track.
At Ferrari’s factory in Maranello, the medical team studied how pit crews organised roles, communication and handovers.
Doctors and nurses started each procedure with a checklist, setting out specific roles and tasks. This reduced human error and helped ensure key tasks were completed. All patient data was also shared from the operating theatre to the care unit.
Gaps in performance were identified and addressed, while repeated rehearsals helped refine the process.
As a result, the process from surgery to intensive care became more organised, and a 2007 study by researchers at GOSH and the University of Oxford found the F1-inspired handover process reduced technical errors, information omissions and handover time.