One of the recurring issues in recent years has been the extreme conditions in which several races are held. The clearest examples are surely Qatar and Singapore, weekends during which drivers reach the finish line exhausted due to the high temperatures and unusually high humidity levels. For this reason, the FIA has proposed various solutions to try to address the problem, but some key figures like Lewis Hamilton and Esteban Ocon have rejected them.
Recently, the Federation designed a new cooling vest, with an innovative design intended to help drivers endure extreme heat. This type of solution must be used when the thermometer exceeds thirty-one degrees, otherwise drivers are required to add a five-kilogram ballast to the car.
During testing in Bahrain, however, Esteban Ocon had already expressed dissatisfaction with the FIA’s proposed solution. According to the Haas driver, the current design is uncomfortable to wear and should be revised to fit modern cockpits.
New rejection for the FIA solution
Recently, Lewis Hamilton also spoke on the subject, although giving different reasons than his colleague. “In my entire career, I have only raced twice in extreme conditions. In my first year, in Malaysia, the drinking system didn’t work and I finished the race dehydrated. And Singapore last year was also quite tough. But I like it. We must always be at the top of our fitness as athletes. We have to suffer,” declared the Ferrari driver.
“I always try to understand what I can do to improve my physical preparation, how I can stay properly hydrated and all these kinds of things. It’s part of the sport. I understand that the physical strain is significant and no one wants to faint during a race like what happened in Qatar. Having these kinds of technological solutions is useful, but personally I prefer not to use them. Formula 1 is an extreme sport. Marathon runners who reach the finish line exhausted don’t ask to shorten the race. It’s part of the sport,” Lewis Hamilton added.
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