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« BackNews: The Most Unusual Refuelling Stop During A Motor Race

The Most Unusual Refuelling Stop During A Motorsport Race

The logistical system for storing and transporting fuel is very complex and filled with redundancies and safety measures such as relief valves to ensure that it can safely reach and be supplied to vehicles that need it.

This system can be even more complex in the world of motorsport, in no small part because it needs to be supplied in such a fast, cautious manner, and as a result of this, dedicated transportable fuelling rigs are supplied for each motor race, designed with the needs of the custom-prepared cars in mind.

There was, of course, one exception to this generally accepted rule, only possible due to the truly surreal properties of a track that has only been used once in the most prestigious motorsport championship ever.

In 1957, thanks to an acute fuel crisis affecting the Egyptian part of the Suez Canal, several races needed to be cancelled due to the reintroduction of the rationing of dwindling petrol supplies and rights fees disputes surrounding the Belgian and Dutch Grands Prix.

This led to the Pescara circuit, a 16-mile road course typically used for the Coppa Acerbo being added to the calendar at the last minute controversially, to the point that the Ferrari race team refused to race there outside of the insistent Luigi Musso.

The most unusual story of the race, however, concerns the last classified finisher, Jack Brabham. Because the circuit was unusually long for Formula One, Mr Brabham ran out of petrol on the last lap and started to freewheel.

Not wanting to get in the way of anyone else, he guided his car into a nearby petrol station that had been closed to allow the Grand Prix to take place in the first place.

Much to the later Sir Jack’s surprise, an attendant came out and offered to add enough fuel to his car to get it to the finish line, which ensured he would place seventh, three laps down but a finish only possible thanks to the most unlikely circumstances on the most unusual circuit.