On the surface, handling and storing racing fuel seems pretty simple. However, racers and their teams can potentially make a lot of mistakes when handling this potentially dangerous resource.
Here’s a little look into some of the standard advice an practices surrounding race teams and their fuel.
Safety Precautions
Safety precautions are paramount on the professional racing circuit, as both race teams and the professional racing bodies are highly aware of the potential dangers in handling and using fuel. As the experts say, a little common sense goes a long way when it comes to fuel, such as storing fuel properly in tanks away from the track, and never having an open flame around those tanks or the pits where there could be fuel traces. Perhaps less obvious is that teams are also really cautious about how long they store fuel before it runs the risk of getting contaminated. When stored in the proper containers and away from direct sunlight, basic fuels will last from six months all the way up to a year, and specialist racing fuel can be stored for up to two years – but realistically race teams are very unlikely to keep fuel this long without using it. If fuel is stored inside long-term, race teams will do so in a very well ventilated area both for the preservation of the quality of the fuel, and to prevent health risks to those working with it such as irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, and exposure to high concentrations – particularly in confined spaces – can cause dizziness and unconsciousness.
Disposal Process
There are strict laws and regulations in place surrounding the disposal of racing fuel, specifically with the purpose of keeping it out of drainage systems. If fuel has to be disposed of, it’s placed into containers and taken to a disposal centre that specifically deals with fuel and other hazardous materials. In reality, though, most teams will dispose of any excess or old fuel by simply burning it off on warm up laps, test-runs, or in training cars. It’s expensive stuff after all, and throwing it away is a huge waste and a very poor use of their invaluable resources. The only situation in which you’ll find teams actually disposing of unused fuel is if it’s become contaminated and could damage their cars. But how do they know if the fuel is contaminated? Well, a good first step is to check the colour of the fuel. Teams will inspect their fuel initially, and then can refer back to their notes on colour and consistency before its used – if they know they’re supposed to be looking at something red, and it isn’t – then they can be pretty sure something’s gone wrong.
