PurposeThe paper aims to convert into useable guidelines, the knowledge related to human factors and tasks' organisation, which are embedded in one of the most exciting maintenance actions that are carried out, the pitstop in Formula 1 races.Design/methodology/approachThe paper opted for a fault tree analysis (FTA) to de-construct all the sub-tasks and their possible deviations from desirable situations and to evaluate the most relevant information needed for carrying out the pitstop operation. Besides, the SHELL model was applied in a second stage to evaluate the interaction between human being and human interfaces with other components of the system. Once this set of information was crystallised, the research translated it into useable guidelines for organising industrial maintenance actions using the same approach and possible reaching the same results.FindingsThe results of this study is a structured set of guidelines that encompasses the most paramount aspects that should be considered for setting correct maintenance actions. They represent a “guide” for including the different angles that are included during these operations.Research limitations/implicationsThe guidelines are potentially applicable to every maintenance operation. The guidelines should be tested on different working domains to check their applicability besides the racing world.Practical implicationsThis study is a reverse engineering work for creating a scheme to include into maintenance operations aspects such as crew athlete-like fitness, training, technology, organisational issues, safety, ergonomics and psychology.Originality/valueThe value of the paper is deconstructing the results of one of the most successful and prepared maintenance action. The paper takes a different approach in proposing how to structure and create maintenance solutions. The difference in approaches between the maintenance during the pitstop of Formula 1 car and industrial applications enhances the gap that needs still to be filled for further improving maintenance actions out of the racing world.

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