Haas driver Esteban Ocon has forged doubt over the practicality of the FIA’s new cooling vests, designed to assist drivers deal with excessive circumstances in sizzling races, claiming that “nobody can use” the system in its present type.
The cooling system was launched following the bodily challenges drivers confronted throughout the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix. Whereas it’s theoretically prepared to be used this season, its design has reportedly led to discomfort, making it troublesome to implement.
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The system consists of cooling tubes built-in into the drivers’ overalls, however the primary concern seems to be the connection level the place the tubes enter the swimsuit, creating an uncomfortable stress space.
In keeping with Ocon, the system is presently “unusable.”
“In the mean time, we will not use the cooling vest,” he informed the media in Bahrain. “You will have the tubes throughout, that is high quality. You will have the tubes within the again, that is additionally high quality. However there’s a large tennis ball on the facet, in your hip.
“Should you put it right here [on the chest], it is hurting with the belts. Should you put it within the again, you’ll be able to’t match within the seat. Should you put it on the facet, you’ll be able to’t match within the seat. So yeah, for the time being, it would not work for us, or no less than what I’ve tried. And from what I heard from different drivers, it’s totally comparable.
“It is good that the FIA have been capable of present us an answer and provide you with one thing. However for the time being, I can not use it, no less than. I am not speaking for the others, however myself and Ollie [Bearman], we will not use it.
Picture by: Haas F1 Group
“The product itself, which is commonplace, isn’t usable. It is too large. You understand how tight the seat is in Components 1 in all places. The place all of the tubes linked up, it is like a knot of tubes. And that is why it is too large.”
For now, drivers have the selection of whether or not to make use of the system however from 2026 the FIA plans to make it obligatory. That offers the governing physique time to refine the system, although Ocon believes the choices for enchancment are restricted.
Requested if cockpit seats could possibly be modified to accommodate the system, he was uncertain: “Nicely, if you’d like a seat with an enormous gap in it, no. A seat may be very troublesome to get proper. Should you do a cut-out like that, you’ll lose in flexibility massively.
“So the one method I see it enhancing is that if we handle to have much less of that knot, or if we provide you with an answer the place in some highway automobiles, for instance, there’s air con by means of the seat, which we shouldn’t have to have on the best way.”
Ocon additionally questioned the need of creating the system obligatory, suggesting that drivers have managed excessive circumstances properly by means of health coaching.
“It is not very wanted but,” he mentioned. “For excessive circumstances, I agree, like Qatar, as an illustration, or typically Singapore. However Qatar final 12 months, I spent every week biking within the sauna earlier than attending to the race weekend – and after I arrived, I used to be in a jacket. It was so chilly, so I used to be a bit pissed off to arrange so arduous for nothing!
Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Group
Picture by: Haas F1 Group
“I do not know if there’s going to be extra dialogue. I reckon no person’s able for the time being to make use of it. That is what I consider. I could possibly be fallacious, however I feel all people’s struggling to slot in the automotive with these tubes.
“I feel, you recognize, [we are] completely satisfied to have the system on board and add the burden, and if we do not wish to use it, we do not use it. However for the time being we will not use it, so… It is not like if I am simply being a diva and I do not wish to use it! It will be the alternative, really. I’d wish to use it, if that was the case. No, it is simply that it is not becoming.”
With a compulsory introduction set for 2026, the FIA might want to work carefully with groups to refine the system and guarantee drivers can combine it into their cockpit designs.
On this article
Oleg Karpov
Components 1
Esteban Ocon
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