16/05/2015
NEWS STORY
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admits that the return of refuelling could be abandoned if it is thought it will drive up costs.
Speaking in the wake of the revelation that, in an attempt to spice up the sport, F1's Strategy Group has recommended the return of refuelling in 2017, Wolff admitted that the move is not (sorry, Mr Miliband) set in stone.
"We discussed many topics," he told BBC Sport. "Refuelling was banned because of cost and because the pit stops were taking too long. But we want to re-explore it and see if we can make pit stops for fuel and tyres happen in the same time it takes to change the tyres now... two to three seconds.
"We have agreed to explore this avenue and the cost involved because it could be spectacular. If it's too expensive, we won't do it."
As FIA president, Max Mosley was all in favour of fuel stops claiming that the subsequent strategy would add to the race.
At the time, Pitpass editor Chris Balfe suggested that whilst all fans had their favourite moment from the sport, their own iconic memory, most would relate to great passes and moves as opposed to pit stops. Indeed, it was suggested that the only memorable fuel stops were those that went horribly wrong.
As Mr Wolff admits, refuelling was banned because of costs and safety, and therefore one has to wonder how the Strategy Group could arrive at the conclusion would improve the show when it didn't before.
Indeed, only last week, following a couple of incidents in the Barcelona pitlane, it was claimed that perhaps, in the quest to get the cars back on track as quickly as possible, safety is already being compromised. Do we really believe adding refuelling to the mix is going to help the situation.
Of course, if refuelling is allowed, in many ways the move is negated by the fact that teams would still need to keep to the maximum fuel-flow rate 100kg per hour, rather than allowing a 'free for all' which would see some drivers err on the side of caution early in the race to conserve fuel for later, and others do the complete opposite. Then again, the very use of the word ‘conserve' sends an icy shudder down the spines of most fans.
For as long as anyone can remember, fans - those people that attend the races, watch on TVs, buy the not fit for purpose app and thereby attract the sponsors - have been complaining that the sport is too reliant on aero grip as opposed to mechanical. Therefore, the news that we could see aero restrictions and the return of wider tyres is to be welcomed. However…
"We have agreed to increase the width of the cars and tyres," says, Wolff, "and have larger front and rear wings. We want to ban the driver-aid aspect of starts, so no pre-calibrated starts and have the drivers start using hand clutches.
"For now, it will be an evolution of the current cars. But there is an appetite for more spectacular aero kit. We want to follow this up but at the moment we will go for evolution and that gives us six months to agree on a more spectacular design."
Other than the admission that the powers-that-be are looking at "larger front and rear wings", there is concern at the revelation that the teams are working together on "a more spectacular design".
Sadly, it is this uniformity, this wanton restriction of the talent that created some of the most iconic cars ever to grace the track, that is also damaging the sport.
As for the issue of customer cars…