Find out everything you need to know about why did F1 ban refueling in the races
There are new rules brought in F1 every few years in an attempt to make the sport better and safer especially for the drivers involved. In an attempt for the same, refueling of cars was banned by the FIA after the 2009 season. However, many still wonder why did FIA ban refueling? Well look no further as we will tell you everything you need to know about the regulatory body’s decision of banning refueling in F1.
Why did F1 ban refueling?
Take a look at several reasons why FIA banned refueling in Formula One:
To make the pit stop faster
Formula One is all about high speed and everything that can hamper the sole motive of the sport, needs to be get rid of. Such was the refueling process in the pit stops. A normal change of tyres in the pit stop is around 2-4 seconds. However, refueling process made the pit stops longer and it generally set back the driver even further.
Safety concerns
Safety was the foremost reason why the FIA decided against refueling the cars in F1. Handling of fuel in open air can be very hazardous and lead to potential risk. One such incident happened in 1994 when Jos Verstappen, the father of Max Verstappen had a leakage while refueling which led to breaking out of a massive fire. Watch the incident below:
A heart-stopping moment for Jos Verstappen at Hockenheim in 1994
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 25, 2019
Thankfully, nobody suffered any serious injuries 🙏#F1 #GermanGP 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/nKuE4gxghe
It is safe to say that refueling was not safe at all and it was an important decision to ensure the safety of everybody involved. Incidents like these have occurred numerous times in the past.
Cost effective
F1 spends a lot of time and capital in research on how to reduce the cost involved in the sport. By banning refueling, F1 has managed to reduce the cost. Moreover, the drivers also prefer to drive around with lighter cars as it helps them to maintain high speed. F1 cars don’t use regular fuel, the fuel is especially made for the F1 cars keeping in mind the environmental concerns. This makes the fuel really expensive and the cost is massively brought down when there is no refueling involved.
These were some of the reasons why refueling has been banned in Formula One. Even though there has been discussions to bring it back over the years, there has been no development made. Do you think banning refueling is good for Formula One or not?
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