FIA issue 'heat hazard' warning for Singapore Grand Prix as teams must take action

The FIA has issued a heat hazard warning for the first time in F1 history, requiring drivers to wear cooling vests or carry extra ballast in their cars for the Singapore Grand Prix. Temperatures at the Marina Bay street circuit are expected to exceed 31 degrees Celsius.

Ahead of the on-track action in Singapore, the FIA released a statement confirming: "In accordance with Article 26.19 of the Sporting Regulations, having received a forecast from the Official Weather Service predicting that the Heat Index will be greater than 31.0°C at some time during the race at this event, a Heat Hazard is declared."

In line with the sporting regulations, teams now face a choice for Sunday’s Grand Prix. All drivers must be equipped with the mandatory equipment to operate the cooling vests, but they are not required to use them. However, those opting against will need to carry more ballast on board.

"The difference in mass between the driver's personal equipment normally used and any items of a driver's personal equipment that form part of the system must be compensated by the fitting of 0.5kg of ballast in the cockpit,” the rules state.

Singapore is notorious among drivers and fans for being the most physically intense race of the year. Temperatures in the cockpit can reach up to 60 degrees Celsius during the Grand Prix, meaning even the fittest F1 stars are forced to endure brutal conditions under the helmet.

In 2024, the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell missed their post-race media duties after experiencing minor symptoms of heatstroke. Later, in an episode of Netflix's Drive to Survive series, fans witnessed the worrying extent of the latter’s physical toll as the Brit struggled to regulate his breathing.

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While the sporting regulations are designed to keep drivers safe, not all on the grid will be delighted to see the vests in action in Singapore. Ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix earlier this year, Haas’ Esteban Ocon raised concerns about the comfort of the devices.

"At the moment, we can't use the cooling vest," he explained. "You have the tubes all around, that's fine. You have the tubes in the back, that's also fine. But there is a massive tennis ball on the side, on your hip.

"If you put it here [on the chest], it's hurting with the belts. If you put it in the back, you can't fit in the seat. If you put it on the side, you can't fit in the seat. So yeah, at the moment, it doesn't work for us, or at least what I've tried. And from what I heard from other drivers, it's very similar.

"It's good that FIA have been able to provide us a solution and come up with something. But at the moment, I can't use it, at least. I'm not talking for the others, but myself and Ollie [Bearman], we can't use it."