F1 Team Boss Recalls “Dangerous Images” in Push Back Against Refuelling Return

The refuelling discussion never dies down in F1, as another round of proposal for its return has been floated internally for the FIA regulations from 2031 onward.

It did provide for some dramatic images and videos, but in larger context, refuelling has always been a dangerous aspect of F1, which could be avoided. There will be argument in favour that there is danger at every step in the world of Formula 1, but there are things that can be avoided.

As such, the decision was taken from 2010 onward to ban refuelling as it didn’t add much to F1 other than the drama and danger level. The sport has seen a few regulation changes since then and at every step, the idea has been floated with the FIA circles to see if there is a way to bring it back.

V8 F1 PU brings back refuelling idea on table

But in every discussion, it has been turned down, which is the same this time around as they ponder the next change from 2031 onward. With FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem pitching for a V8 power unit return after over a decade of using V6 hybrid machine, refuelling was floated again as an idea.

But a section of F1 team bosses have turned it down, citing no value. In fact, Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer – who was with the FIA when the ideas used to be floated back then – revealed how the meetings would show images of fire in the pitlane, whenever the topic came up.

Bayer recalls how FIA meet ended in no refuelling return

He doesn’t see any value even from a strategy point of view. “I remember when I was still working with the FIA, we had a work group with Formula 1, with Ross Brawn, back in the days, and his team, about how to improve the entertainment, the spectacle.,” started Bayer in F1 Dutch GP press conference.

“And one of the big ideas of some people was refuelling, and we were digging very deep into historic footage, data that we had, and it showed that other than a couple of very spectacular and dangerous images, refuelling has not done really anything for the sport because most of the overtaking suddenly took place in the pit lane.

“And so, I wouldn’t be a big fan of that because it’s proven that it actually doesn’t add a lot to the spectacle.” Williams F1 team principal James Vowles concurred with Bayer on the strategy side of things, which he thinks will be predictable and will do nothing new than the tyre strategy.

Vowles doesn’t wish to wear warm race suits again

In addition, the suits that they and the mechanics will have to wear will be much warmer to avoid catching heat burn. “Very personal one is it’s quite warm wearing a race suit when you’re on the pit wall, so I prefer not to do that again,” said Vowles in the press conference.

“But also, what would happen is we could fundamentally predict exactly where the car is going to stop. You’re always going to take the car right to the end of its fuel load because that’s when it’s its fastest, which now means you can predict what’s going to happen, whether someone’s on a two or three or one, it doesn’t matter.

“And actually nowadays, with the exposure to the outside world, everyone will start getting that information. It actually takes quite a bit of the intrigue out of it for me. I think the concept behind it is more, ‘Let’s keep the car mass low’, [I am] completely in support of that. I think going back to refuelling is not the right solution for it, however.”

Komatsu raises weight, cost factor

Haas F1 team principal Ayao Komatsu was pretty certain too on no refuelling. He felt it will confuse the fans in the stands and wants the cars to be the lightest in qualifying. “I’m personally not a big fan of refuelling, really,” he said, while adding the cost factor of it too.

“Even when I was watching from outside, refuelling, it’s just that the race was so difficult to understand as a spectator sitting on the stand, and also in terms of qualifying, etcetera. I’m fond of a qualifying car being the lightest, driver going for everything. So, yeah, in short, I’m not fond of refuelling, and also the weight and cost and everything. I’m not a big fan.”