Despite Lewis Hamilton’s protests, the FIA is proceeding with plans to implement cooling systems in F1 cars. The changes were ratified at the final World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) meeting of the year in Rwanda.
Calls for cooling units within F1 cars were amplified after the Qatar Grand Prix in 2023, where intense heat combined with the already challenging cockpit conditions caused chaos among the drivers.
Esteban Ocon vomited twice in his cockpit during the latter stages of the race, and Lance Stroll reported that he was briefly passing out while navigating the high-speed corners of the Lusail International Circuit. Alex Albon was sent to the medical centre after the race after suffering symptoms of heat exhaustion.
His team-mate Logan Sargeant struggled even more. The American, who was in his rookie F1 season at the time, was forced to retire mid-race due to heat stroke. The Florida-born driver was suffering from illness heading into the weekend, and conditions in the cockpit only exacerbated the problems.
While many of his rivals labelled it the most demanding race of their careers, Hamilton, who missed out on the contest after a lap-one collision with team-mate George Russell, was unimpressed with their complaints, pushing his viewpoint that F1 is an “extreme sport” and should therefore come with the perils of one.
When Hamilton was asked about the proposed cooling changes earlier this season, he said: “Well, firstly, I didn’t know that. And it’s not needed. This is Formula One. It’s always been like this. It’s tough in these conditions.
“We’re highly paid athletes. And you’ve got to train your a*** off to make sure you can withstand the heat, ultimately. It’s tough. It’s not easy, especially when you go to places like Qatar and Singapore. But I don’t think we need an AC unit in the car.”
Hamilton may not be a fan, but the FIA is pushing ahead with the changes on the grounds of driver safety and well-being. New rules dictate that when the temperature for the race is predicted to be over 30.5 degrees Celsius, the governing body will declare a ‘heat hazard’. This will mandate teams to fit cooling systems into the cockpits of both drivers.
In addition to this latest addition to the F1 rulebook, the sport has taken other steps to avoid a repeat of Qatar 2023. While the troubled event initially took place in October, it was shifted to December 2024 to take advantage of cooler temperatures in Doha.
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