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If refuelling is too expensive, we won't do it - Wolff

Published on 18 May 2015 13:44
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By: Rob Veenstra

Time will tell how much last Thursday's meeting of the Strategy Group will actually change the direction of formula one. The group - featuring the top teams, Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA - met in England amid ever-loudening voices calling for urgent measures to turn around flagging audiences, disinterested sponsors and struggling teams and promoters.

Afterwards, it announced that teams will be able to choose their own tyre compounds from next year -- but Pirelli immediately voiced its doubts and concerns. Also getting the green-light was faster and louder cars for 2017, with a six second per-lap boost to be achieved through aerodynamics, higher revs, fatter tyres and lighter cars due in part to the return of in-race refuelling.

"It was a good meeting," Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff told Germany's Bild am Sonntag newspaper. "We want to build the fastest cars in the world and now we will. That was the best moment: when everyone raised their hands to vote for building the fastest cars of all time."

However, before any of the changes can be set in stone, they will have to pass through the World Motor Sport Council, which will not meet until mid July in Mexico. Wolff acknowledged that reintroducing refuelling, for example, is in fact still being looked at.

"Refuelling was banned because of cost and because the pitstops were taking too long," he told the BBC. "But we want to re-explore it and see if we can make pitstops for fuel and tyres happen in the same time it takes to change the tyres now. (But) if it's too expensive, we won't do it."

The fact that the notoriously-divided teams are still in the discussion phase is causing some to wonder if the changes will in fact ever see the light of day. "Basically, nothing was decided," F1 legend Gerhard Berger told Germany's motorsport-magazin.com, "but this is not surprising. Everything will remain as it is," he predicted. (GMM)

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Replies (4)

Anurag

Posts: 7
"But we want to re-explore it and see if we can make pitstops for fuel and tyres happen in the same time it takes to change the tyres now."

How on earth are they going to do that?? Refuel a car in <3 seconds.. Not happening..
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- May 18 2015 - 14:43
- mclarenfan1968
  
  Posts: 1,027
  There exists water only based metal cutters that have such force to deliver water at high rates in terms of force and volume. For F1 the same technology can be adapted with reduced force and increased flow rates. Obviously the mounting and refueling systems will change. It is all down to cost but the technology exists.
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  May 19 2015 - 05:03
- scf1fan
  
  Posts: 58
  @Mclarenfan - That been done. No problem . . . until it becomes a problem! Then it can become a really big problem really fast!!! For what benefit? Add to that, that's 4 more people in every pit. Two to hold the main nozzle, and two more to hold the backup. Even the "gravity" flow units at Indy have issues when the valves stick.
  .
  I can't see why F1 doesn't think about limiting the number of people working on the car during the stop. It would be the same for all the teams, it would slow down the stops and probably make them a bit safer. It would also save some money! and it would increase the strategic value to stop. (Or not to stop!)
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  May 19 2015 - 21:05
- mclarenfan1968
  
  Posts: 1,027
  @SCF1FAN - With the technology adaptation I am talking about it will need more people to hold and provide backup. The volumes of fuels being pumped in will require more stability assistance. Unless they have stationary mounted mechanism that they can simply guide in and refill the car but this poses problems in precision and timing when times are made and lost in the pitstops.
  
  The idea behind re-introduction of refueling it to add more variability in tyres and strategy. The teams don't want to slow down the pitstops hence the consideration for faster refueling. Refueling in it self has added dangers but my post is not about the danger but about viability and it is possible to have refueling in 3 seconds or under. Costs will now dictate if this will truly come back to F1. I am guessing it probably won't
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  May 20 2015 - 05:19