The Scuderia Ferrari has designed a new wheel nut in an effort to shorten the time of the pit stops in 2010.

With the refuel ban imposed this year for the first time since 1993, several experts have predicted that we may see tire stops done on less than three seconds.

Fernando Alonso leaving the garage in the Ferrari F10. The wheel nut is quite visible. Photo: Ferrari

Spain's El Pais newspaper reported last week that Ferrari has responded to the challenge by designing a cone-shaped nut that integrates better with the wheel gun. The nut was photographed in the Ferrari garage at Jerez, Spain.

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

The new wheel nut. Photo: Fernando Alonso's Facebook page.

Other experts also indicated that the wheel gun could be fitted with a device that triggers a light once the nut is released.

This would help the lollypop man to follow that's going on without having to watch the mechanics in action. The lollypop man can then release the driver the moment he sees all four lights on.

Last year's wheel nut, hidden by the wheel fairing. Photo: WRI2

Photo Credit : ferrari & WRI2