18/04/2025 11:30
Lewis Hamilton has admitted he is not a fan of the new cooling vest
system being developed for use in extremely hot conditions. Its use
was originally intended to be mandatory for this season for events
that were held in sweltering temperatures, however difficulties
arose when drivers complained about how the tubes connecting the
system interfered with cockpit comfort. As a solution is being
researched, its use is voluntary for races that exceed a
temperature of 30.5 °C - however any driver who elects not to use
the system must fit 5 kg of ballast to their car to match the
weight of the competitors who fit the vest. George Russell gave
the device its debut in Bahrain last weekend and spoke positively
about it, insisting it did not give him much discomfort at the
venue. However, he highlighted it would likely be more of an issue
at a higher speed circuit such as the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, host
of this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Providing his thoughts
on the cooling vest, Hamilton told media including RacingNews365 :
"It's an ongoing process. I think there are people still developing
it. "It's not mandatory at the moment. I think one of the drivers
has used it in practice or something, or testing, and really liked
it." When it was pointed out to him that Russell used it during the
race in Bahrain, Hamilton expressed surprise: "Oh really? "I'd be
surprised if he did, because it's five kilos - you have to add five
kilos to the car for it and no one else would." Hamilton 'loves'
physical challenge of F1 A push to introduce a new cooling system
was accelerated by the harsh conditions drivers were subject to at
the Qatar Grand Prix in 2023. Several drivers sought medical
attention after the chequered flag, while Williams' Logan Sargeant
had to retire due to feeling so unwell. Although the system is
being rolled out for the sake of driver comfort and safety,
Hamilton stated F1 drivers should be pushed to their physical
limits. "I've only had two races in my career when it's been
[extreme conditions]," he said. "My first year in Malaysia, my
drink didn't work and I was dehydrated at the end of the race. "And
then Singapore last year was pretty brutal. But I love that. We're
supposed to be at the top, the highest of the highs in terms of
athletes. It needs to be tough. "If anything, the cars today are
easier to drive than when I started in F1. They're a lot heavier.
"I don't want to use it if I can avoid it. I want to look at how I
can prepare better, how I can use a cooling vest before, how I can
pre-cool my body, how I can make sure I'm hydrated. That's a part
of the whole process. "I do understand that it's tough and we don't
want drivers passing out when we go to Qatar, where [we had] that
one race where it was extremely hot for the drivers, which I
actually crashed out of, so I didn't get to do it. "I think it's
good that they've got the technology in there, but for me, it's not
what I want to see in my car. That's just my opinion."
