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26.03.1995
Brazil
Interlagos

'; ?> OUR FIRST RACE WITH McLAREN

The 1995 Brazilian Grand Prix marks the beginning of a new era for Mobil 1 – at a time when fuel dominates the Formula 1™ headlines.

New regulations for the 1995 season require all Formula 1™ fuel suppliers to send samples of their fuel to the FIA prior to each Grand Prix. It is an effort to speed up the fuel-testing process, and only fuel approved by the FIA is permitted for a race.

In the wake of safety concerns arising from the pit lane fire suffered by Jos Verstappen the previous year, teams are given standard refueling equipment for 1995. These fuel rigs are smaller, have longer nozzles and are designed to lock onto the car before any fuel flows.

However, in pre-season testing, the McLaren Mercedes equipment suffers a leak, which supplier Intertechnique traces to a faulty valve. The glitch is fixed, but the FIA advise teams to refuel their cars slowly during the race.

Despite further problems with the fuel hose, McLaren Mercedes’ Mika Hakkinen comes home in fourth place, with Blundell in sixth.

After the Grand Prix, winner Michael Schumacher of Benetton and second-placed David Coulthard of Williams are disqualified when analysis of their cars’ fuel showed that it does not 100 per cent match the pre-race samples. Both drivers are later reinstated on appeal.

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