Formula 1 - Too hot! Formula 1 triggers weather alarm again in Austin

Since this season, Formula 1 has required air conditioning in the premier class. At least for those races where temperatures reach alarming levels. This system was first used at the last Grand Prix in Singapore – with mixed reactions. Now, a heat warning has also been issued for the GP weekend in Austin .

According to the FIA , the data forecast by Formula 1 's official meteorological service for the sprint and the race in Austin indicates a heat index of over 31 degrees Celsius. This is the threshold at which a heat alert is provided for in the regulations, and appropriate measures are taken.

This heat index not only reflects the temperature but also takes humidity into account, thus reflecting the perceived temperature. In Formula 1, this indicator only becomes relevant in relation to a specific race session, such as the sprint or Grand Prix. Hot temperatures during practice or qualifying do not trigger a warning due to the shorter stint a driver spends on the track in the car. However, the system is already installed in these sessions as well.

In Austin, the forecasts from various weather services leave no other conclusion than that the warning is necessary. Especially on Sprint Day, brutal conditions are forecast in the Texas desert, with temperatures reaching (depending on the weather service) up to 35 degrees Celsius and humidity reaching up to 57 percent – ​​which would equate to a perceived temperature of 44 degrees Celsius. Sunday could also exceed the 31-degree threshold, with forecasts of up to 32 degrees Celsius, despite lower humidity.

The driver cooling system consists of two elements. On the one hand, a unit installed in the car that cools a fluid, and on the other, a fireproof undershirt equipped with cooling hoses through which this fluid flows. This additional element naturally also brings with it additional weight. The minimum weight for a Formula 1 car on such a weekend is increased by two kilograms in practice and qualifying, and by five kilograms in the sprint and race. This brings us to 802 and 805 kilograms, respectively, in Austin, instead of the usual 800 kilograms.

The teams have a certain degree of freedom regarding where the vehicle unit is installed. In the Mercedes, for example, it is located behind the pedals, while in the Williams, it is located under the seat. The regulations also allow two different technical solutions for operating this cooling system. One option is an electrically powered unit that must be able to continuously dissipate at least 200 watts of heat at an ambient temperature of 40 degrees Celsius. Another is a system that uses stored thermal energy. This must have a reserve of at least 1.1 MJ, calculated at a final storage temperature below 10 degrees Celsius.

The installation of the cooling system is mandatory, but its use is not. Since many drivers are still skeptical about cooling vests, which some describe as uncomfortable, their use is not mandatory. However, if a driver decides not to use them, an additional 0.5 kilograms of weight must be installed in the car.

One of the main critics of the cooling vests is Max Verstappen , who spoke out clearly against them in Singapore . He is particularly bothered by the up to 50-meter-long hoses attached to the body and the straps attached next to the driver. Another problem is that the cooling effect isn't necessarily permanent; rather, the effectiveness of the system, which uses stored thermal energy, diminishes over the course of a race.

In the upcoming Formula 1 season, the use of cooling vests will no longer be voluntary, as their use will be mandatory for all drivers starting in 2026. This requirement isn't well received by everyone; Lewis Hamilton , for example, called it "silly" in Singapore and emphasized: "No driver has ever died due to overheating—except for fire accidents in the past."