Formula 1 is facing a new and growing challenge: extreme heat. After the Singapore Grand Prix, the debate over the use of cooling vests has sparked strong opinions among drivers and the FIA. Some see them as a breakthrough for safety, while others consider them an unnecessary complication. At the heart of the discussion lies a crucial question: how to protect the drivers’ health without limiting their freedom or affecting race performance?
Are there more pros or cons?
Some drivers have praised the benefits, wearing them during races without any complaints. Others are not convinced of their need or are dissatisfied with how they currently work. Among the most vocal critics of mandatory use is Max Verstappen, who challenged the FIA’s explanation. According to the governing body, the reason not everyone appreciates their usefulness is due to teams being slow to make the technology fully operational.
“They can say it’s a bad design. I don’t agree. It should just be an option for the drivers. Some like it, some don’t, and that’s fine. It should remain a personal choice.”
While talks continue between drivers and the FIA to keep the use of cooling vests optional at least until 2026, one thing is certain: Formula 1 does not intend to abandon the concept. Instead of seeing the technical issues as an obstacle, the FIA is taking a broader view.
The technology is not perfect yet, and for some it may seem like an unnecessary addition. But if these systems can prevent an extreme scenario like a race cancellation due to excessive heat, then every effort will have been worth it.
There are technological limits
The FIA admits that the current systems are far from perfect but emphasizes that delays from some teams in implementing the devices have significantly influenced the situation. To make things more complex, today’s technology does not yet seem advanced enough to fully meet the demands of Formula 1. High-tech solutions such as heat exchangers and coolers have not delivered satisfactory results. For now, the system relies on a circuit of cooling liquid flowing inside the drivers’ suits, kept cold by blocks of ice.
Despite these limitations, the FIA decided to speed up the introduction of these systems. As explained by FIA’s single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis, it was the direct pressure from drivers after the extremely tough 2023 Qatar Grand Prix that pushed the federation to act quickly.
“The drivers themselves were very critical and asked for something to be done. At the time, some scientific papers were published in medical journals, showing that high body temperature for prolonged periods can cause long-term problems, not just dehydration. Since there was a strong call to solve the issue, we didn’t hesitate for a moment. We immediately started working on it. It took longer than expected because the initial engineering solution we were exploring involved a heat exchanger, various pumps, and maybe a small pump for the coolant. It was quite complex. But then, between mid and late 2024, some experiments followed the current philosophy — what we call the total-loss system, since it cannot work indefinitely. So you have this ice that gradually melts. Some successful experiments were done in this direction, and it was decided that this was the best system, the best way to do it.”
There is still noticeable variability among teams regarding how long their cooling systems last: some only work for about 15 minutes, while others last almost an entire race. This likely explains why drivers have such different opinions. Although the current system clearly has its limits and cannot operate for a full race distance, the FIA is confident that, if teams commit to making it work properly, things will improve. That’s why the cooling systems are categorized as open source components (OSC), so all teams can access each other’s designs and, in theory, copy the best solutions. Tombazis added:
“We felt that this shouldn’t be an area where teams try to be smarter or anything like that. That’s why there’s a weight delta, so people don’t try to design a vest that’s half a kilo lighter or something similar. Since then, some clothing manufacturers have made progress and worked to fix some of the problems, and some teams have been a bit more proactive. I don’t think people should get too lazy and say, ‘Well, you know, it won’t be mandatory, so who cares, I’ll never wear it.’ I think it’s easy in a place like Singapore, where the temperature isn’t too bad, to say, ‘Well, actually, I’m fine.’ But in Qatar two years ago it was really tough, and I don’t think there’s any guarantee that we won’t face another event like Qatar, or maybe even worse. With the extreme climates we’re seeing, the last thing anyone wants is to have to cancel a race because it’s too hot.”
The key issue is that teams and drivers have become used to operating within well-established routines, and any change tends to meet resistance. It’s clear that it will take time before the introduction of cooling vests is fully accepted, especially at races like Singapore or Qatar, where extreme weather conditions make the topic even more sensitive.
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