| | LONDON -- Former world champion Jackie Stewart has
warned that refueling cars during Formula One races is an
unnecessary risk likely to end "sooner or later" in disaster.
"Refueling is an unnecessary risk," the three-time champion and former Stewart team boss was quoted as saying in the
Guardian newspaper Wednesday. "The scale of a fire that could take place if the wrong
accident occurred is far beyond the imagination of most people.
"With the type of tanks and high-pressure feed we use, the vapor factor alone would be explosive, never mind the flame
factor."
"Sooner or later there is going to be a big fire and unfortunately the nature of the sport is such that we will need
a big fire for anything to be done."
The biggest recent pit-lane fire in Formula One involved Dutch
driver Jos Verstappen in 1994. His Benetton was engulfed in
flames during a refueling stop at the German Grand Prix.
Verstappen, who is returning to Formula One this season with the Arrows team, and five Benetton mechanics suffered minor
burns in that incident.
The fireball also threatened the safety of VIP spectators in
the executive "paddock club" area above the pits.
Mid-race refueling had been re-introduced at the start of
that race. Benetton were later charged with deliberately
removing a fuel filter from their refueling rig designed to
eliminate the risk of a flash fire.
The team escaped punishment.
A new "decoupling under flow" method of refueling was pioneered by Ferrari last season. It involves removing the
nozzle from the car while fuel is still flowing.
The system has been approved for the new season which starts in Melbourne Sunday with the Australian Grand Prix.
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