FIA declares Heat Hazard for Austrian GP as Spielberg temperatures hit 33°C

The FIA has declared a Heat Hazard for the Austrian Grand Prix at Spielberg’s Red Bull Ring, activating additional driver cooling procedures after forecasts predicted temperatures exceeding 31°C across the race weekend.

Mainland Europe is enduring its first significant heatwave of the summer, with Austria among several countries breaking June temperature records. The FIA’s official weather service projects 32°C during Saturday’s FP3 and qualifying sessions, rising to 33°C by the time the race gets underway on Sunday afternoon.

“In accordance with Article B1.5.10 of the FIA F1 Regulations, having received a forecast from the official weather service predicting that the heat index will be greater than 31.0°C at some time during the race at this competition, a Heat Hazard is declared,” the governing body confirmed in an official statement.

Under the protocol, each driver must choose between wearing a cooling vest or having a corresponding 0.5kg of ballast added to their car — a trade-off between personal comfort and a marginal weight penalty that could influence lap times at a circuit where margins are tight.

The FIA had previously moved toward making cooling vests mandatory, but reversed course following pushback from drivers who raised concerns about the devices’ comfort and practical effectiveness. The option therefore remains voluntary, leaving teams and drivers to weigh the physiological benefits of active cooling against any perceived disadvantage of the vest itself.