FIA declares Singapore Grand Prix a 'heat hazard' race under new rule

Singapore, Oct 2 (IANS) Formula 1’s governing body has declared this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix a “heat hazard” race, the first time a race has carried that designation since the new regulations were introduced this year.

The ruling, announced by the FIA, was triggered by forecasts predicting temperatures above 31°C in Singapore’s humid tropical climate. The decision means all teams must install cooling-vest systems in their cars, although use by drivers will not be mandatory. The measure is designed to prevent any competitive advantage if some drivers choose to race without the additional weight of the system.

Singapore has long been considered one of the toughest venues on the F1 calendar due to its relentless heat, high humidity, the bumpy Marina Bay street circuit, and the length of the race, which typically runs close to the two-hour maximum.

The idea of a driver-cooling system gained traction after the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, when extreme conditions left several drivers on the brink of collapse. Frenchman Esteban Ocon vomited in his helmet mid-race, Williams’ Logan Sargeant retired due to exhaustion, and others required medical attention afterwards.

Williams driver and Grand Prix Drivers’ Association director Carlos Sainz called the FIA’s move “fair.”

“Only hot is not too bad for us. We have that, for example, in Hungary, where it gets really hot but it’s not humid. Humidity on its own is not too bad at all if it’s not too hot. But when it’s 28C, 30C degrees plus humid, that’s when it gets to Singapore levels and it’s tough,” Sainz was quoted by BBC Sport as saying.

Sainz, who has raced 10 times at Marina Bay, added that while the cooling vests are still evolving, they are improving: “Teams are managing to make it work better and better every time we run it. At the beginning, we had to work more or less for half an hour or so. Hopefully, now the whole system can work at least for an hour. It’s a two-hour race. If it breaks or it doesn’t work, I’m not worried. I’ll do the race and jump out fresh like I always do. But if it works, it’s better, because then you suffer a bit less.”

The Spaniard confirmed he had tried the vest during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix earlier this year, where it lasted about 15-20 minutes. Mercedes driver George Russell also tested the technology in Bahrain, and told BBC Sport that it was “definitely very noticeable.”

“At the start of the race, it was about 16°C pumping around my body, which feels quite nice when you’re in a cockpit that’s 50°C-plus,” Russell said.

--IANS

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