Formula 1’s Austrian Grand Prix has been declared a heat-hazard race by the FIA in the midst of a scorching European summer.
The declaration, applied when temperatures exceed 31°C (87.8°F) while cars are on track, means drivers will have the option of wearing a specially-designed cooling vest under their overalls, which helps to keep their body temperature low in the heat of the cockpit.
Those who do not opt to do so have five kilograms of ballast added to their cars to compensate.
The cooling vest cools the driver with liquids which pump through to the vest through pipes underneath the race overalls.
Europe is currently in the grip of a heatwave, with several countries recording near-record or record June temperatures so far.
It is the first such race of the year -- events in Singapore and Austin’s U.S. Grand Prix last year ran with the same designation.
Drivers have been mixed so far on the vest and cooling system. Some have complained it is awkward and uncomfortable to wear in the car, while others found the coolant ran out before a race was over, meaning the liquid ended up at car temperature, which is considerably higher.
The heat hazard rule was introduced in reaction to the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, which took place in intense heat and humidity. On that day, Williams driver Logan Sargeant retired from the race due to the conditions, while Lance Stroll collapsed by his car after the race. The Canadian said he had been on the verge of blacking out in high-speed corners from the intense heat.
There had been talk of the vest being made mandatory for heat-hazard races, but drivers found making it voluntary a better compromise.
Speaking after last year’s U.S. Grand Prix, Max Verstappen, who has opted against using it both times, said: “I don’t like the tubes that are on you, on your body, with the belts that go next to you. Then they can say it’s [just] a bad design. I disagree. It just needs to be an option for the drivers to choose. Some like it, some don’t, and that’s fine. It should be a personal preference.”
