FIA Adjusts Regulations on Driver Cooling Vests Following Qatar GP
In response to extreme heat conditions witnessed during the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, the FIA has initiated discussions to refine its regulations regarding driver-worn cooling vests. Several drivers, including Haas’ Oliver Bearman, have advocated for enhancements to the current guidelines, aiming to allow greater flexibility in the use of these cooling devices during races.
The FIA’s current protocol permits the use of cooling vests at any time during a grand prix weekend, but introduces a weight penalty only when ambient temperatures exceed 31°C on the Thursday prior to the event. If the threshold is surpassed, the weight limit is increased by 5 kg to accommodate the vest without penalty. Conversely, for the 2025 season, drivers may opt out of using the vest but will face a 500g ballast increase within the cockpit area.
Critically, the use of cooling vests has sparked contention regarding their effectiveness when the heat index remains below the stipulated threshold. Bearman emphasized the challenge teams face, noting, "The whole cooling system is heavy…we’re not trying to make the car lighter to run the cooling vest." This season has seen drivers struggle with heat management yet fail to trigger the cooling vest regulations, notably during the Saudi Grand Prix, where Thursday’s temperatures were cooler than race day.
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu and Mercedes driver George Russell support lowering the threshold to improve driver welfare. Russell stated, "Maybe the heat hazard should be reduced slightly…Saudi was hot, Bahrain was hot, and here [in Miami] – maybe it could be adjusted by a few degrees."
Despite these suggestions, the FIA remains firm on the 31°C threshold, with a preference for leveraging real-time weather forecasts on race mornings to determine eligibility for vests, rather than relying on four-day predictions. This approach comes amid objections from teams concerned about the potential need for last-minute adjustments to setups.
Drivers’ opinions on the cooling vests vary, with Bearman and Russell reporting positive experiences. Russell remarked, "The benefit of having cool water…even if it just works for 10, 15, 20 laps of the race, I think it’s game-changing." He acknowledged the initial design’s shortcomings but commended the current model’s efficacy.
Looking ahead, the FIA plans to mandate the use of cooling vests in high-temperature races starting next season, allowing teams to continue refining their implementations throughout the remainder of the current racing season.
