McLaren boss Zak Brown calls for return of risky F1 refueling

McLaren CEO in papaya McLaren F1 t-shirt and black trousers walking through the F1 paddock with a serious expression — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

“It would be cool!” McLaren boss Zak Brown calls for return of risky F1 refueling

Good luck with that one...

Originally written by Chris Deeley. This version is a translation.

Thursday 8 January 2026 21:00

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has suggested Formula 1 should consider reintroducing mid-race refueling, despite the practice having been outlawed more than a decade ago.

Refueling was removed from the sport primarily due to safety concerns, with pit stops instead becoming limited to tire changes as cars began races carrying full fuel loads. The change was aimed at reducing the risk of fires and accidents in the pit lane.

While the refueling era did feature a handful of dramatic moments — including separate incidents in the 1990s involving Jos Verstappen and Eddie Irvine, where cars briefly caught fire — no drivers or crew members were ever seriously injured. In fact, instances of refueling going badly wrong were relatively rare across Formula 1’s history.

Speaking to Talksport, Brown said: "I think if we got back into refuelling, it would be cool. That would make pit stops, add another dimension to it, but also add a big strategic dimension.

Zak Brown: Being back refuelling in F1

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"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 I would add a lot of dimensions to the strategy that I think would be fascinating."

The Verstappen fire is the most famous of the lot, but despite the Dutchman's helmet being open at the time of the fire (which was attributed to the absence of a safety filter which they, and a number of other teams, had chosen to remove), he himself said he was 'pretty much fine' after a quick medical check-up after the race.

While Brown and a number of prominent F1 figures, including Lewis Hamilton, have advocated for the reintroduction of refuelling into the sport, it's unlikely to ever happen. While the safety issues are significantly lower than the striking image of Paul Seaby on fire at Hockenheim might suggest, the cost of transporting the large refuelling rigs around the world is a significant obstacle in a sport attempting to keep costs down.

F1 Zak Brown Jos Verstappen