I think he is pretty close, Peach. If you look at Caps 1,2,3, then Katie/Rachel, Gary/Mallory, Jill/Thomas and Ron/Tony are at the end of the line and right in front of the path to the docks. I think teams on the far end of the line can run around the outcropping that Phil is standing in front of and split him. I think they are all closer to Phil than his position indicates. Ron basically hurdles the other outcrop. It appears that teams in the middle of the starting formation try to funnel through the gap and get sort of all mixed up. I think the camera is probably next to the building at the top or the satelite view and teams will run toward it and then pass in front of it to the cars.