F1 heat hazard declared for fourth time this season

The Singapore Grand Prix has been declared a heat-hazard race, the second weekend in a row that the designation has been used in Formula 1 and the fourth time this year. The Singapore Grand Prix made its debut on the F1 calendar in 2008 The definition allows teams to fit cooling devices to their cars that pump liquid through a vest worn by the driver to manage temperatures in the cockpit. A heat hazard is an official status for an event where it is forecast that temperatures will exceed 31C at some point during the race. It was first introduced in 2025. Singapore is close to the equator and has long been known as one of the most demanding for drivers – in 2024, Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton were treated for heat exhaustion after the race.

Temperatures in the city are always in the 31-33C region across the race weekend, with high humidity and a chance of rain every day. The race is held at night, but temperatures remain in the region of 30C even after dark. A cooling kit is not mandatory, but any driver who chooses not to use it has to carry 5kg of ballast in their car to ensure he does not have a competitive advantage. The system uses a cooling tank and