|
Ice-cool world champion Michael Schumacher was more anxious about a dirty visor than a brush with fire during Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix.
The German emerged unscathed from a small refuelling blaze at the A1-Ring but said the 'real problem' was foam from Ferrari fire extinguishers on his helmet visor.
He said: 'There were dead bugs on it already and the foam from the extinguishers caused a build-up of muck which made it very difficult to see.'
Ferrari's sporting director Jean Todt said he was 'terrified' when he saw fire lick at Schumacher's racing helmet during the pitstop but refused to back a campaign to ban F1 refuelling.
Some say the pitlane fire fuels the argument against refuelling and making contenders start the race with 200-plus litres of petrol on board.
But the Frenchman said refuelling is 'part of Formula One' and any other alternative would only raise new dangers.
'We have to understand what happened and ensure it doesn't happen again,' Todt conceded.
He added: 'But without refuelling, you are running in a race with 200 kilos of fuel - that's very dangerous in itself.'
The governing FIA launched an immediate investigation into a fire that 'should not have happened.'
Control fuel rigs supplied by Intertechnique feature special seals which are 'supposed to eliminate any risk.'
A spokesman for the Federation continued: 'These seals are also featured on the car fuel tanks, so it is something that we are taking very seriously indeed.'
Questions or comments about this article can be directed to
news@f1empire.com
|