For the first time in Formula One history, the FIA has invoked its “heat hazard” rule ahead of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, citing soaring temperatures.
The night race is notorious for its sweltering conditions, with heat and humidity combining to create perceived cockpit temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius.
“Having received a forecast predicting that the heat index will exceed 31 degrees Celsius (87.8 degrees Fahrenheit) at some point during the race, a Heat Hazard is declared,” the governing body said in a Thursday statement.
The regulation was introduced after drivers experienced extreme exhaustion at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix.
Under the rule, drivers can either wear a cooling vest, which circulates chilled liquid through tubes to regulate body temperature, or add extra ballast to their cars for the race.
The vests will become mandatory in hot conditions starting next season.
“I think it’s fair, to be honest. I think ‘hot’ only is not too bad for us,” Williams driver Carlos Sainz told reporters.
“Humidity on its own is not too bad at all, but when it’s 28-30 degrees plus and humid, that’s when it reaches Singapore levels and it’s tough.”
Sainz said the vest his team used is still in development and unlikely to last the entirety of the two-hour race.
“I think teams are managing to make it work better and better every time we run it. Hopefully now the whole system can work at least for an hour,” he said.
“I’ve driven Singapore 10 times. If it breaks or it doesn’t work, I’m not worried. I’ll do the race and I’ll jump out fresh, like I always do. But if it works, even better, because then you suffer a bit less.”
Sainz is coming off his first podium of the season in Azerbaijan but has low expectations for similar success in Singapore because of his car’s setup.
A winner in Singapore for Ferrari in 2023, Sainz said he was an early adopter of ice baths to lower his body temperature before hot races.
“I think we started it maybe eight to 10 years ago. Some people would do it, others would say they wouldn’t need it,” he said. “Now everyone does.”
The 31-year-old Spaniard said he has other ways to mitigate the heat but was not prepared to share them.
“There are a few other things that I do, but I keep those secret,” he said with a laugh.
“If not, then it will become like ice baths – everyone will be using them, and you don’t have any more performance advantage. So I’m trying to keep those for me.”
