[RustyRook]

I’m not sure if this has been discussed yet, but I’d like to have a go at it anyway.

As asked of them, Pirelli delivered tyres with high degradation and we’ve had a lot more pit stops than I can remember in a while. How many people had 4 stops in Sepang again? They’re also slower, which we saw in the lap times and average speeds etc.

Now I was wondering whether the FIA should lift the ban on refueling and let the cars start with a lighter load. They’ll be stopping a lot during the races anyway and they can refuel then. There are advantages and disadvantages to this but it’s certainly worth considering. Is it?

For one, the lap times would pick up instantly. But on the other hand, I’m concerned about overtaking. With DRS and KERS available to the drivers, it may make it too easy without giving the driver in front any real advantage. Now here’s what makes it even more complicated. If the lap times are faster due to the lighter fuel load, the cars will take a slightly shorter time on the long straights where DRS is used. A shorter time may also make it harder for the car trying to overtake.

I’m sure there are many, many other things I’ve ignored here. The idea struck me when I was looking at a photograph of Alonso pitting and musing about the lack of a big shiny tube being lugged to the car.

Any thoughts?

[Zadak]

this wont happen with the FIA’s green policies, sorry

I’m sure we don’t want to go down this road again

[Lee Harrison]

Don’t see what refuelling adds to be honest, I think it’s good as it is now.

[wigster]

With the current tyre rules I don’t think bringing back refueling would add anything to the race.

Firstly I think everyone would just stick in enough fuel to get to the next tyre stop as I think stratergy would be tyre limited, as the drop off in tyre performance is greater then the benifit of having only a little feul in the car. Even at the end of race in Malaysia on low fuel the tyres were going off after 15-20 laps.

Secondly it may make stratergy more complicated on certain circuits for viewers to understand (though i doubt that if you already have to have 2 tyre stops) which could make it less appealling to casual fans.

Thirdly refuelling was partly banned to improve safety in in the pit lane, and i doubt its improved enough to make refuelling safe.

Lastly the green element. It sort of does make sense to encourage engine people to make technology more efficient and not allowing refuelling helps. (not that renault seem too bothered by efficency though)

In conclusion, as long as the tyres keep degrading (i think f1 wouldn’t be f1 without pitstops and strategy) we dont need refuelling. Unless that is you enjoy fires in the pit lane or advocate the bridgestone approach to having non degrading/wearing tyres..!

[RustyRook]

Thanks for clearing it up guys, mostly Wingster. I agree that tyre strategy would still dominate the race as far as the teams are concerned. I’m not quite sure whether it would make it that much more complicated. It seems so now when even the teams are getting used to the tyre wear at different tracks and weather conditions, but once that settles down it should be easy enough to follow. But yes, the safety concerns can’t be overlooked.

So thanks guys, I’ve learnt a bit more than I did a few hours ago. Good stuff!

[Prisoner Monkeys]

All refuelling will do is turn the race into a series of individual time trials where the drivers aren’t really racing one another, but really racing themselves to produce better lap times. You won’t see battles for position because drivers will know they can simply hold position and make it up during the stops. There’s not much sense in making refuelling optional, because as soon as one team does it, everyone will be forced to.

[Enigma]

I think the only way this could be good is if it took longer to refuel – maybe twice or thrice as much as it did. That way we’d get to see strategy variations, with some people refueling and some not. But if refueling was back, everyone would do it and it wouldn’t make it any more interesting I reckon.

[DavidS]

I agree with PM on this one.

[th13teen]

If Bernie wanted a spectacular show he would re-introduce refueling, because theres no better TV viewing than to see the poor pit crew traveling down the pits at 60MPH getting dragged along with the fuel pump still attached!

[F1Yankee]

refuelling – ain’t gonna happen, and correctly so.

[Author]

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