Formula One drivers have shared some conflicting opinions on the effect that the new refuelling ban for 2010 will have on the on-track action in races this year, amid whispered fears that the ban will lead to more processional races.
The ban, ostensibly instigated on cost-cutting grounds, will mean that cars now qualify on low fuel and are then filled with fuel for the full race distance from the start of the race. Pit stops will still be used to change tyres, but could be few and far between, and take as little as three seconds to complete.
Fernando Alonso, speaking at the launch of the Ferrari F10 car, suggested that realistically drivers would now have to qualify within the top three to have any hope of winning the race, such was the impact of the loss of refuelling strategy for the new season.
"If you start among the top two or three that will be fundamental to win the race, otherwise it is almost impossible," Alonso moaned, "With the old rules you could be fifth or sixth at the start and know you had a chance with the strategy. Now if the strategy is the same and you are fifth or sixth you have very few chances."
He added that the idea that overtaking would be more prevalent now fuel stops were out of the equation, saying that the drivers had always been trying to overtake before anyway.
"Previously we had to take all of the opportunities to overtake in Formula One, so we know how difficult it is," the Spaniard opined.
"This year we will have to continue to seize all the opportunities to overtake, and I think that with no refuelling and without knowing anything about the strategy, qualifying will be even more important than it used to be."
But Alonso's views are not shared by everyone on the 2010 grid, and McLaren's new signing Jenson Button suggested that there would still be action on track in 2010.
"I don't agree with Alonso," Button shouted, disagreeing with Alonso, "I think there will still be passing, don't forget we still have the tyre stops and new tyres could be worth two seconds a lap."
Button's views were backed up by Tim Goss, McLaren's chief engineer, who suggested that the refuelling ban would do much to improve the racing.
"It could make the show significantly better, yes," he insisted, "Previously, you knew when everyone was going to stop and refuel, so each team based their strategy decisions on overtaking cars during the pit stops.
"What's changed for this year is that we won't know when people are going to stop. The only thing affecting drivers' mandatory stops now is that they have to run both the option and prime tyre, so the strategy choices will be less predictable and will become a little more complicated.
"Races could be one or two stints with both early and late stops for tyres. It will definitely make the racing more challenging and interesting - and, hopefully, it will promote more on-track overtaking and less overtaking during the pit stops."
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