FIA Singapore heat hazard: Why Mercedes won't give Antonelli and Russell cooling vests
Mercedes said cost cap limits made the vest system too expensive and chose to focus on car performance instead.
- On Thursday, October 8, FIA F1 race director Rui Marques declared a heat hazard for the Singapore Grand Prix, citing forecasts predicting temperatures greater than 31°C throughout the race weekend.
- This regulatory designation requires teams to equip cars with advanced driver cooling systems to prevent heat exhaustion, allowing participants to utilize fireproof vests connected to liquid pumps.
- Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell will not use these cooling vests this weekend after the team decided against allocating budget to develop a robust system.
- Describing the FIA's $50,000 allowance as "small," Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord stated the team preferred to invest resources into car performance rather than a cooling solution.
- Drivers who choose to forgo the cooling system must carry 0.5kg of ballast in the cockpit to ensure they do not gain a competitive advantage over teams using the equipment.
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Sportske.netThe upcoming Formula 1 race for the Singapore Grand Prix has been declared dangerous due to very high temperatures.
In Singapore, Formula 1 is a night race. Nevertheless, temperatures are still around 30 degrees at this time, and there is also a high humidity. There should be no serious effects due to smogs, which have moved to Singapore after fires in Indonesia. However, the world motorsport association FIA has issued a heat warning. This allows the teams to equip the cars with cooling devices.
Singapore is the ultimate strain test for Formula 1 drivers. Heat and humidity require everything from them. However, several stars reject a useful tool.
2026 Singapore Grand Prix declared heat-hazard race as heat index forecast to exceed 31°C
The Singapore Grand Prix has been declared a heat-hazard race, with temperatures forecast to exceed 31 deg C during the sprint and race."In accordance with Article B1.5.10 of the FIA F1 Regulations, having received a forecast from the official weather service predicting that the heat index will be greater than 31 deg C at some time during the sprint or...
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