Categories: 2017 SeasonF1 News, Reports and Race Results

FIA confirms refuelling back on F1 agenda

FIA president Jean Todt has confirmed a potential return for refuelling in F1 is being investigated.

Teams briefly raised the possibility of a return for refuelling - which was last seen in 2009 - last year as part of radical proposals for the 2017 regulations. While the idea had been dropped as teams honed the planned regulations, it is now being discussed once again with the potential to return next season.

Asked if a return for refuelling is on the agenda, Todt replied: “Yes, it is true.

“If you have some doubt about something, and personally and honestly I have a doubt … talking with the working group meeting we re-address is it right not to have refuelling?

“You know the reason why it was banned, refuelling? It was the cost of carrying the fuel rig. Now we are in a kind of modern area where we know how it works."

Todt believes the cost incurred to re-introduce refuelling would be worth it if it proves to have a positive impact on racing.

"We are talking about €50,000 a year. If it is good for the show ... I'm in favour of reducing the cost but that is not a key point on the global cost of Formula One."

And asked if it was realistic refuelling could return in 2017, Todt said: "At least we should discuss it."

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.