SINGAPORE, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Formula One drivers are split on whether to embrace cooling vest technology as they prepare to battle soaring temperatures at this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix, with four-times champion Max Verstappen leading the sceptics.
The FIA, the sport's governing body, has already declared a heat hazard for the weekend at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, with temperatures forecast to exceed 31 degrees Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit).
Despite being held at night, drivers can lose three kilograms of body weight over the course of the race. While teams must fit driver cooling systems such as liquid-cooled vests, drivers can opt out and take a ballast penalty instead.
Verstappen, who won the race in Malaysia where a heat hazard was also declared that weekend, remains firmly against using cooling vests.
"For me, it's not needed. Yes, it's hot, but it's not a sauna," Verstappen told reporters.
"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, I don't need it. It doesn't work anyway for one-and-a-half hours."
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc said he would opt for cooling vests if they lasted longer than 20 laps.
"Let's say that for 15-20 laps it works pretty well. Then, after for the rest of the race, you are quite warm just like you are without the cooling vest," he said.
'VERY BAD EXPERIENCES'
Mercedes' championship leader Kimi Antonelli shared Verstappen's reservations, citing a painful experience that put him off the technology.
"When I wore it last year I had very bad experiences. The first time it didn't work as long as we hoped for," Mercedes' championship leader Kimi Antonelli said.
"The second time the pump system failed. It was in Austin and I did the whole session with the system pumping the water at 50 degrees. I suffered a heat stroke after the session, so it wasn't very pleasant.
"So ever since I was like, 'You know what, I'm going to train hard so I don't have to use it for the weekends'."
But the Italian said if the vest was developed to the point where they had confidence that it would work every time and for the required duration, he would consider it.
RUSSELL ADVOCATES COOLING VESTS
However, his Mercedes teammate George Russell remains a vocal advocate for the cooling vest, painting a stark picture of what drivers have endured without them.
"You can never quantify how much lap time you're losing because your body is well and truly overheating, but I know," Russell said.
"I spoke with Alex Albon after the race in Qatar in 2023, and he felt like he was hallucinating during the race. You just couldn't breathe out there and you would have done anything to cool down."
Russell noted that car design improvements have helped reduce cockpit temperatures compared to previous years when electronic boxes, hydraulic lines and radiators in close proximity created furnace-like conditions.
"So a lot of these things have a huge impact on the cockpit temperature. Our cockpit this year is substantially cooler than it has been in years gone by," he added.
But Russell added that making the system work well would require teams and the FIA to commit engineering and manufacturing resources, potentially drawing personnel away from other areas of development.
"I'd race it every weekend, bar (Las) Vegas and tracks that are really cold. I definitely see a benefit in it, I really like it," he said.
"I guess just collectively between the teams and the FIA, we need to find a way to make it work."
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in SingaporeEditing by Toby Davis)
