McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes Formula 1 fans would benefit from the sport reintroducing refuelling, claiming it would add “another dimension” to the sport.
Until the 2010 F1 season, teams were forced to refuel their cars during pitstops.
This rule often added a level of further strategy for many teams and drivers, forcing rivals to factor in far more than tyre choices.
However, at the end of the 2009 season, the rule was retired with growing safety concerns for both drivers and pit crews.
Since then, teams have had to fuel their cars for the length of the Grand Prix, with every driver starting with a heavier load of fuel.
But there have been a few instances in which teams have not adequately fueled drivers’ cars.
For example, Sebastian Vettel was stripped of his podium in Hungary in 2021, as he had only 0.3 litres of fuel. Falling extremely short of the FIA’s one-litre minimum.
Despite this, Brown has suggested that, if implemented safely, this rule could add an extra level of strategy to F1.
“I think if we got back into refuelling, it would be cool,” Brown told talkSPORT late last year.
Brown says refuelling will solve major F1 issue
Refuelling would also add significant strategic implications for teams, providing an extra variable into already tense mid-race strategy calls.
“That would make pit stops, add another dimension to it, but also add a big strategic dimension,” Brown explained.
Earlier this season, the Woking-based squad were at the centre of a disqualification scandal during the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Post-race, both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were disqualified for excessive plank wear. Interestingly, across the 2025 season, four drivers were disqualified for the same issue.
Brown believes that reintroducing refuelling to the sport could help iron out these issues, making it harder for teams to end up with a post-race disqualification for racing an underweight car.
“If you got into refuelling, weight makes such a difference. Do you run heavy at the start and go long? Do you run light to get a better start?
“So it would add a lot of dimensions to the strategy that I think would be fascinating.”
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