Image source, Getty Images
Image caption, Singapore is the only grand prix on the F1 calendar that Max Verstappen has not won
By
F1 Correspondent in Singapore
Max Verstappen has criticised Formula 1’s driver-cooling system before the Singapore Grand Prix, the first race to be declared a ‘heat hazard’.
The Red Bull driver, who qualified second to Mercedes’ George Russell at Marina Bay, said he was “not intending to use” the cooling vest “because I don’t like it”.
And he said he was opposed to plans by F1’s governing body the FIA to make the use of the cool vest mandatory in heat-hazard races from next year.
Russell said he would run the system, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, third on the grid, was unsure whether to use it.
The FIA declared the Singapore race a ‘heat hazard’ because it surpasses an index that combines high temperatures with high humidity.
Temperatures during qualifying were 30C with 70% humidity, with similar conditions expected for Sunday’s race at 13: 00 BST.
Why Singapore is so demanding – and how drivers try to cool off
Singapore has long been regarded as the toughest race for drivers because of the conditions, combined with a long, bumpy street circuit and the fact it is the longest race on the calendar at close to two hours.
The ‘heat hazard’ designation has come into play only because the rule was introduced this year. The conditions are more or less identical to those at every Singapore Grand Prix since its inception in 2008, so the drivers are well used to training to ensure they can cope with the conditions.
They also use other methods to keep their core temperature down before climbing into the cars, such as ice baths.
Teams design their own cooling systems but most are similar – a tank of dry ice through which a liquid such as glycol is pumped before running through a tube in a vest worn by the driver.
Why Verstappen does not like vest
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc wearing one of the cooling vests in Singapore
Verstappen said he felt the system and the rules that come with it were flawed.
“I haven’t used the vest,” he said. “I’m also not intending to use it. Because I feel like this needs to be the driver’s choice.
“From the FIA side, they will always throw it on safety. But then we can talk about a lot of stuff that can be improved on safety, including pit entries in certain places. I think that has a bit more priority than a vest in the car.