The discussion about cooling vests in Formula 1 and its influence on the vehicle weight continues. The measure has been expressly welcomed as a contribution to driver health, but causes resentment in implementation.
Because: The cooling system weighs a lot, but weight compensation by regulations only exists from 31 degrees Celsius ambient temperature – on Thursday before the race.
If you want to use them in cooler weather, you either have to carry a few kilograms too much around or save the weight in the car otherwise.
Teams that already only operate their cars by ballast at the minimum weight of 798 kilograms can afford this flexibility. Others, such as Haas, do not have this scope.
“The whole system is difficult,” says Oliver Bearman, who tested the cooling vest in the training of Dschidda, among other things. “We try to get the maximum performance out of the car. It’s not about making the car easier to drive the cooling vest – but unfortunately we have to do without you at the moment because the weight limit does not give us any other choice.”
A problem with a system and time stamp
The current FIA rule provides for: If an outside temperature of 31 degrees Celsius or more is measured on Thursday of a Grand Prix weekend, the minimum weight is increased by five kilograms to enable the cooling vest to be used without a disadvantage.
But this value has never been achieved this season. Even with the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, although it was significantly hotter on the race day than on Thursday, the regulation remained untouched.
“If you never explain it hot enough, only half of the teams get the advantage,” criticizes Bearman. Namely those who can afford to remove five kilograms of ballast from their car. “That doesn’t seem to be quite fair.”
His team boss Ayao Komatsu also sees a need for action: “I think the release date should be checked again,” says the Japanese. “The technology works very well – if the hose holds. Esteban [Ocon] Was skeptical at first, but was totally convinced after the use. “
Mercedes pilot George Russell is a big fan of the vest and has already worn it in the race. For him, the benefit is clear: “Our cockpit has already reached up to 60 degrees. There it is like in a sauna. Maybe you should lower the temperature limit by a few degrees. Saudi was hot, Bahrain was hot, but it was never triggered here in Miami.”
Thermal advantage only for lightweights
The real problem is less the technology itself – it was further developed over the winter and, according to Bearman, fits the seat significantly better after the connections have been laid.
Rather, it is the fact that the system is only practical for teams without weight problems if there is less than 31 degrees on Thursday. While Mercedes and Williams regularly use the vest in training and sometimes also in the race, it remains unused at Haas.
“If we want to use them, that’s a disadvantage,” says Bearman. “Other teams can simply remove some ballast. For us it means: additional weight – and we cannot afford that in the race.”
Charles Leclerc has also tested the system, but only wants to use it in the race when it works absolutely reliably: “I tried it once and it was really helpful. But some drivers have not held out in the race recently – then the water gets hot, and that nobody helps.”
Uniform solution not yet in sight
According to information from the “Motorsport Networks”, the FIA plans to introduce the cooling vest from 2026 at high temperatures. Until then, the technology should be tested further and integration into the cockpits is to be optimized.
An adaptation of the temperature threshold is currently not intended – instead, the World Association will consider taking the weather forecast on Sunday morning for the race day as a yardstick instead of the measurement from Thursday.
But this is exactly what the teams met with resistance because it would require short -term conversions in the area of the cockpit. The FIA, on the other hand, is satisfied with the 31 degrees as a threshold. The last word has not yet been spoken in this regard.
It is clear that something has to happen. “It would be desirable if everyone had the same conditions,” says Bearman. “Unfortunately, that’s not the case at the moment.”