SINGAPORE – Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton both urged the governing FIA not to enforce a “silly” rule making cooling vests mandatory for Formula 1 drivers at certain hot races after this year.
This weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix has been declared a heat hazard by the FIA, which means cars run with an extra 5kg of mandatory car weight to accommodate drivers wearing an optional cooling vests.
Drivers that opt against it have the weight added to their car via a ballast system. The FIA implemented the cooling vest rule after several drivers nearly passed out during and after the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix from the extreme humidity.
During Friday’s usual drivers’ briefing, it is understood that several drivers raised objections about a push from the governing body to make the device mandatory at hot races from 2026 onwards.
“I don’t think it should ever be forced on drivers,” said Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who has previously noted that the device feels “itchy” to wear. “They keep saying it’s a safety issue, but there’s no driver that’s ever died from overheating in the race, apart from obviously in flames back in the day. It’s like, it’s just getting silly. That should be our choice to have it.
“I appreciate they’ve made it available to us and we’ll continue to work and improve on the system and I think it can be potentially beneficial in crazy hot places, but if you want to use it because it’s comfortable, it should never be like you have to wear this.”
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Pressed on whether he will wear it for the race, he said: “I have tried it, yeah. I might use it tomorrow, depending how hot it is.”
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen also spoke out against the idea of it being mandatory, saying the vest will feel like “hot tea” after 15 or 20 laps of Singapore’s circuit.
“I haven’t used the vest,” Verstappen said after qualifying. “I’m also not intending to use it because I feel like this needs to be a driver choice.
“Of course, from the FIA side, they will always throw it on safety, but then we can talk about a lot of stuff that can be improved on safety — including pit entries in certain places. I think that has a bit more priority than a vest in the car because I don’t like it.
“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. And I know this year we can, but probably next year they don’t want to do that, and I feel that is not the right thing. The problem is that in GT cars or any other cars, prototypes, you have a bit more space to put stuff or at least put the cables. In our cockpits, it’s so narrow that there is no space — or at least not enough space. And that is also a little bit of a problem I find.
“Plus, where are you going to put the dry ice? The cars are not designed really to have this extra kind of space, and within 15, 20 laps, it’s anyway gone. And then you have hot water … or tea!”
Williams driver and Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) chairman Carlos Sainz said he is happy to let it remain optional as he is sure performing at a cooler temperature comes at a significant performance benefit to those who wear it.
“I’m happy not to make it mandatory and the ones that don’t want to use it have a disadvantage in the race. For me it’s as simple as that,” he said.
“I’m so convinced it works and it helps even though I’ve done 10 Singapores without suffering physically and being able to finish it. As soon as you study a bit of physiology you understand that there’s a performance advantage [wearing it].”
He added: “I think if it’s not a huge safety issue they should leave it open [to drivers to choose].
“I agree with the guys that don’t want to use it. If they don’t want to because they feel really uncomfortable then don’t use it.”
