A heat hazard has been declared for the very first time in Formula 1 history ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend, Afrosport reports.
Motorsport governing body the FIA issued a heat hazard as conditions expected to exceed 31°C this weekend around the city-state of Singapore.
This comes after a new rule was introduced this season that F1 teams will be required to fit a mandated driver cooling system in the cockpit of the car for temperatures above 31°C.
The new cooling system involves a series of devices that help in reducing temperature in the car’s cockpit. This includes wearing a cooling vest system that has liquid pumped around a series of tubes as well as another pump and a thermal store to generate the cooling.
This change came about after extreme conditions during the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix resulted in several drivers seeking medical attention after the race.
During last year’s Singapore Grand Prix, Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton (now at Ferrari) and George Russell were taken off media duties after suffering what was described as “borderline heatstroke”.
We’ll be seeing the ‘Driver Cooling System’ fitted to all cars this weekend in Singapore, with high temperatures and humidity expected 🥵
But what does the FIA’s declaration of a “heat hazard” this weekend mean for the drivers? 👇#F1 #SingaporeGPhttps://t.co/fkPBCuwOE7
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 2, 2025
The cooling vest is however not mandatory for drivers to use as some have raised concerns about potential restrictions in the cockpit of the car. For drivers who will not use the vest, they must carry an extra ballast.
