FIA president Jean Todt wants Formula 1 to consider reintroducing refuelling to the sport in 2021.
Mid-race refills were stopped after 2009 partly on safety and cost grounds, but predominantly to try and encourage more racing with shorter stops and less field spread.
With fewer strategic options and drivers having to fuel save, the debate on bringing it back has continued, and Todt believes it would address one of the drivers' biggest complaints.
“Personally, I would like to see refuelling, but I am happy to see a study on the positives and negatives,” the former Ferrari chief told the BBC.
“The cars have become too heavy which is something we have discussed, and if we did that [brought refuelling back] you would have a lighter car at the start of the race and a smaller car.”
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At a time when the sport is trying to reduce costs, however, the Frenchman rubbished suggestions refuelling would only increase them again.
“When I hear it will be more expensive it makes me smile,” he said.
“When I see the size of the [teams’] motorhomes I don’t think it is the price that will be the killer to introducing it.”
Red Bull boss Christian Horner quickly shot down the possibility, however, because of the impact it would have on the racing.
“My recollection of refuelling, which was part of the sport when I came into F1, was that it became just a strategic race as to how much fuel you put in at the start," he told the British broadcaster.
“You wouldn’t pass any cars on track because you would either short-fill or long-fill the car in the pit lane.
“So while it was a fascinating race for tacticians and strategists, it was a very static boring race on track.
“And that’s why we moved away from refuelling so the drivers had to cope with a heavy fuel-load car and with that came the challenges of having to manage a car that lost 100kg during the course of a Grand Prix.”
