Many F1 fans, mostly the stupid ones, want the fuel stops back to experience more exciting Formula 1 races but fortunately not all team bosses are enthusiastic about this idea although Pirelli boss Mario Isola, on the other hand, wouldn’t mind.
Romain Grosjean recently explained that he wants the fuel stops in Formula 1 back in order to be more challenged at the wheel. Many fans like the idea of allowing refuelling again, but in the paddock opinions differ on this question. TJ13 has collected together some current opinion.
Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner explains: “I can’t imagine that at all. Go back and take a look at the races we still had fuel stops in, some of the most boring GPs we’ve ever seen. The strategy is then dictated by the amount of fuel you put in the car, and I don’t think it would contribute anything to the show.”
Mercedes Motorsport Director Toto Wolff doesn’t want to go that far. The Austrian also warns: “What’s negative is that the races will be a bit more predictable, because the strategies will then be the same for everyone. And it’s also about the costs, which will, of course, be somewhat higher – if not much.”
Ultimately it is probably a philosophical question, Wolff adds and emphasises: “I think we shouldn’t have sacred cows here. We should look at everything and ask ourselves if it works for us.
“Refuelling certainly brings a certain entertainment value, a new uncertainty factor. It also makes the cars much lighter at the start of the race. So the drivers can push much harder. We have to analyse everything carefully and then we have to make the best decisions.”
Pirelli Motorsport Director Mario Isola chimes in with an alternative opinion: “The cars are very heavy, compared to the 2004 or 2005 racers they are 140 kg heavier.
“This has to do on the one hand with the drive unit and on the other with the new safety structures. The cars are much safer, and that’s right.
“That’s why it can’t be the aim to think about weight reductions in the safety structures. But you can of course reduce the weight of the car by stopping for refuelling, because in this case the drivers no longer have to start the race with 110 kg of fuel on board.”
“This is of course helpful from the point of view of the tyres, because less weight also means that the tyre is less heavily loaded.
“Because at the moment the tires are being challenged enormously because the cars are heavy but incredibly fast. So if you took some of the weight away, the tyres would be a bit lighter.
“Of course, we would have to know this beforehand in order to produce the corresponding tyres,” adds the Italian.
So dear TJ13 reader, what is your opinion on the subject?
Certainly, this Judge feels that re-fuelling would be disastrous to the racing, but that said, it’s pretty much rock bottom already. Make your vote count and opinion known in the comments below.
IndyCar on street / road courses doesn’t have an issue with refuelling – in fact in a lot of races refuelling plays a big part in the race especially if you get a safety car or two.
Ask Jos Vestappen his thoughts on refuelling
Ask Francesco Cigarini his thoughts on changing tyres
Ask Jos Vestappen how he feels about refuelling
Ask Francesco Cigarini his thoughts on changing tyres
Just spoke to Jos. He likes BBQ a lot!
🤣
Everyone talks about reducing costs but Pirelli hauls thousands of tyres around the world so that every car can have a truckload of rubber at their disposal.
Surely the sustainable and realistic way to race is to complete a race on one set of tyres – after all, road tyres last longer than 150 kms, so this really is not setting a good example of technology transfer.
As for refuelling, this was banned because it was dangerous – what’s changed?
A race from start to finish without any stop start shenanigans is the way it used to be before slicks came in and should be again.
sounding like a sports car fan;)
Trying not to sound like a fan of Indy cars, Champ car and others.
Why not make it compulsory to use all three tyre compounds ,cost is zero as they bring them to every race ,and makes every race a two stop .
They bring the rain tyres as well, so why not make it compulsory to run five or more types of tyres if they bring them anyway? At least the deg and pit stops would shake up the track positions with four or more stops per race.
No, No, NO – the racing is supposed to show who is the best driver and who has the fastest car. The race results should be based on racing, not on who can stop and go in the pits in the quickest time with the best pit crew.
i think the thing here is, whether its refuelling, or whatever rule change there is, fans are desperate for the races to be exciting again. just give us something, anything, to make f1 the sport we used to love.
I would reintroduce refuelling and make it compulsory to use all three compounds – perhaps not much new here … but I would also suggest that you can’t refuel and change tyres at the same time. Perhaps make that a rule for the top five and allow freedom to the rest. We need something radical not just minor tweaks dictated by the self interest of the teams. I have lots of other suggestions too….
According to your poll the majority is stupid 🙂 Me included.
TJ13 getting a bit cocky after having the site updated 14 days in a row 😉
Bizarrely, something I actually agree wit the judge on…..
Considering just how invested the teams, manufactures / engine suppliers, FIA and promoters are in the current engine Formula (50% efficient hybrid turbos with heat and energy recovery), not to mention the whole point of the fuel flow and volume limits being to promote efficiency for the benefit of and to encourage new engine suppliers, I cannot imagine for a millisecond that they would about face the efficiency message, and re-introduce refuelling.
The sport itself has done a fairly appalling job so far of promoting the fantastic technology that is currently powering F1, can you imagine the even f**k-up of then going back on a fantastic, but ill promoted, development