Red Bull Formula 1 driver Isack Hadjar believes cooling vests should be banned from the championship, insisting that the extreme physical challenge remains an important part of motor racing.
The topic of cooling vests resurfaced at last weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia due to the extreme heat and humidity at the Sepang International Circuit. But the implementation of the equipment has been met with mixed feedback from drivers.
While some drivers welcome the artificial cooling, others have raised concerns regarding the fit and the effectiveness of the system. It seems to work well for a few laps by pumping cool liquid around the body through tubes in a fireproof top worn underneath the race suit, but as things heat up inside the cockpit, so does the liquid in the tubes.
When asked where he stood amid the differing views across the grid, Hadjar was clear in his position, arguing that artificial cooling aids have no place in F1.
“I think it should be banned. Because it’s supposed to be tough,” the Red Bull driver explained to Motorsport.com and other media in Singapore.
Hadjar’s team-mate, four-time champion Max Verstappen, also claimed the cooling vest was “not needed”, explaining that he would not use it even if it stayed cool for the duration of a whole grand prix.
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Srinivasa Krishnan
“For me it’s not needed,” the Dutchman said. “Yes, it’s hot, but it’s not a sauna, and with this cooling vest you have these stupid cables in your car, so it’s just limiting your movement as well.
“I don’t need it, even if it would work for one and a half hours, like cool, cool, I don’t need it, but it doesn’t work anyway for one and a half hours. I don’t think it has worked for one and a half hours in any category.”
If a heat hazard is declared, teams and drivers have the option of wearing their own cooling vest systems or carrying ballast instead so there is no weight disadvantage for those wearing the vests.
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– The Motorsport.com Team