Formula 1’s governing body the FIA has declared another “heat danger” ahead of the Italian Grand Prix weekend. But what exactly does this mean for the teams and drivers at Monza? F1.com offers an all-in-one reminder…
What is a “heat hazard” statement?
For context, following the particularly high temperatures and humidity experienced during the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix weekend, the FIA began an analysis on how similar situations could be managed in the future.
Looking ahead to the 2025 season, it was confirmed that a ‘heat hazard’ may be declared if the pre-weekend weather forecasts predict temperatures of 31 degrees Celsius or higher at any time during a sprint or Grand Prix.
The FIA notifies the teams of the declaration, as they did in Italy, and they must subsequently install a “driver cooling system.”
How hot will it be in Italy?
As mentioned above, the F1 Italian Grand Prix takes place at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, near the city of Milan, one of the many regions in Europe affected by heat waves in recent times.
“In accordance with Article B1.5.10 of the FIA F1 Regulations, having received a forecast from the Official Meteorological Service predicting that the heat index will be above 31.0°C at some point during the race of this competition, a heat danger is declared,” reads a note from FIA F1 Race Director Rui Marques to the teams on Thursday morning.
In fact, all three days of action at Monza will feature air temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius and down to around 30 degrees, meaning a sweaty weekend awaits the drivers.
What is the ‘Driver Cooling System’?
In short, it is defined as a system with the “sole purpose” of providing additional cooling to drivers in a “heat hazard” scenario.
Several components are involved, including a pump, plumbing and thermal accumulator, and the cold fluid generated by the system is delivered to drivers through a special fire vest with several tubes.
All major components of the system must be installed in cars, although drivers can currently choose whether or not to wear the vest while work continues to refine the design.
“Any driver may choose not to use any item of personal equipment that forms part of the driver’s cooling system,” reads Article B1.5.10 of the Sports Regulations. “In such a circumstance, all other components must be installed, including any cooling media in the driver cooling system.
“In addition, the difference in mass between the normally used driver’s personal equipment and any items of the driver’s personal equipment that are part of the system must be compensated for by installing 0.5 kg of ballast in the cabin.”
What have the drivers said about it?
The last time a “heat hazard” was declared at the Austrian Grand Prix, McLaren driver Oscar Piastri confirmed his intention to use the cooling vest, while outlining some of the benefits and areas for improvement.
“I used it a couple of times last year,” he explained. “There’s obviously a risk that if it goes wrong, and if it fails, then it’s worse than not using it. I think if you get the system working well, it can help a little bit.”
“It’s not a complete game changer, but when I used it last year it was fine. There are definitely some things that aren’t perfect, but at the end of the day, it’s a personal preference.
“We have to add weight to the car anyway, so if you can get it to work and cool you down a bit, then sure.”
The focus is now on First training session on Friday in Italy, where the 22 drivers will have another opportunity to use the cooling system and the vest, if they wish.