Hadjar says cooling vests should be banned as F1 drivers remain split ahead of Singapore

Formula 1 drivers remain sharply divided over the sport’s cooling vest regulations as the series arrives in Singapore for its fourth designated heat hazard race of the 2026 season, with Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar calling for the system to be scrapped entirely.

The debate over driver comfort in extreme heat has simmered since the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, when several drivers suffered heat exhaustion symptoms. In response, the FIA and all F1 teams commissioned research that produced a standard cooling vest circulating water through a tube system. Whenever track temperatures are expected to exceed 31°C, the FIA declares a heat hazard, requiring drivers to either wear the vest or carry an additional 0.5kg of ballast in their car.

The original design has drawn widespread criticism for its limited effectiveness — typically lasting only a handful of laps — and its awkward fit inside the cockpit. To encourage improvement, the FIA offered teams a $50,000 cost cap exemption for developing a system proven to last a full race distance, plus a separate $75,000 allowance to enhance the vest’s comfort and effectiveness.

Mercedes driver George Russell reignited the conversation in an interview with The Times, urging the governing body to do more to strengthen the regulatory framework. Mercedes chose not to pursue a bespoke system, citing the cost cap allowance as insufficient and preferring to direct engineering resources toward improving the performance of its W17 rather than addressing a comfort issue. With McLaren, Red Bull, and Ferrari all pressing Mercedes hard in the constructors’ standings, the trade-off is a straightforward one for the team.

Hadjar, however, went further than Russell, arguing the vests should not exist at all. “I think it should be banned, because it’s supposed to be tough,” the Red Bull rookie said in Singapore. Verstappen echoed that sentiment: “For me it’s not needed. 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.”

Not all drivers share that view. Several on the grid feel the current systems are adequate for the most extreme conditions, leaving the sport without a clear consensus on how — or whether — to evolve the technology ahead of future heat hazard events.