Mercedes Formula 1 driver George Russell sparked controversy by suggesting the FIA should mandate cooling vests in hot races to protect teams from themselves. The issue stems from driver discomfort in extreme heat, highlighted during the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix when several drivers experienced heat exhaustion symptoms. The FIA and teams developed a water-circulating cooling vest, but initially intended use was made optional after drivers found it beneficial for only a few laps.
Russell revealed he would prefer using a bespoke cooling solution, but Mercedes decided against developing one due to resource allocation concerns. 'We won't be running the cooling vest because we haven't put the resource into making it robust enough,' Russell told The Times in Kuala Lumpur. He called on the FIA to step in, suggesting either additional cost cap funding or external development for universal use.
With a 'heat hazard' declared when ambient temperatures exceed 31C, the Bahrain Grand Prix (held in Malaysia) marked the third such event of the 2026 season. Teams are free to develop their own solutions within framework guidelines, but most don't prioritize sporadically used vests over performance improvements, especially with Mercedes competing against McLaren, Red Bull, and Ferrari.
Source: Autosport F1 News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing