A while back I reported this about the fuel rig problem in Formula One. The fuel rig manufacturer claimed that it was the team’s human problem rather than a machanical problem of the rig, and that, a good pit crew like Ferrari’s never had the problem. Yet in fact, Ferrari too did have the same problem before, and guess what…
10 minutes ago, live at the Austrian A1-Ring race, Barrichello had the same refuelling problem which cost him some 10 more seconds at the pit, then Schumi came in for refuel a couple of laps later and the rig got stuck to the car. When the pit crew desperately tried to yank the rig out of the car, it caught on fire! While Schumi sat cool in the car even with the fire right behind his head, the incident cost him his lead and 2 positions. The incident and the whole fuel rig problem is now under investigation.
Race Update (23:00 18/05) : Schumi went on and won the race, with Barrichello came in third after Raikkonan. Schumi lapped everyone upto and including his brother Ralf at 6th place, with Coulthard right in front of him, and Button not too far away. Hey Ed, unlike yourself, looks like the man has a few years yet before he needed to worry about any hotshot rookies.
WhaUSay?!