Formula 1 pilots are in turmoil, asking for changes to the rules concerning the cooling vests after a Grand Prix of the qatar 2023 scorching which left many of them in the grip of exhaustion due to heat. Oliver Bearman, a Haas pilot, leads the charge, urging the FIA to review the regulations concerning the use of these essential cooling devices.
The FIA has introduced cooling vests worn by the pilots for the 2024 season, allowing drivers to use them at their discretion. However, the controversy arises when the ambient temperature falls below the 31 ° C threshold, because the teams which have already reached the minimum weight limit can benefit from the use of vests without penalty.
Bearman expressed his frustration, declaring: “The whole cooling system is heavy. We try to get the maximum car performance. We do not try to make the car lighter to operate the cooling vest. He underlined the need for equity, because only certain teams are currently flexible to use the cooling vests to their advantage.
-Pilot Mercedes George Russell and Bearman’s team pattern Ayao Komatsu proposed to lower the temperature threshold to guarantee a fair playground. Despite this, the FIA is satisfied with the current benchmark of 31 ° C and plans to use the weather forecast for the day of the race to determine the need for cooling vests, rather than trusting less precise forecasts made on Thursday.
The FIA plans to make the cooling vests compulsory for hot races from next season, giving teams the rest of the current season to refine their systems and installations. The vests have received mixed opinions from the pilots, some, including Bearman and Russell, renting the improvements in the latest version.
While the debate is raging, the future of cooling vests in Formula 1 is at stake, the pilots and teams calling for a fair and effective solution to fight against extreme heat conditions encountered on the track.
