Exclusive: FIA to trial fitting aircon system to F1 cars

The FIA is to trial fitting a simplified air conditioning system to Formula 1 car cockpits after drivers suffered health scares in the extreme heat of the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, Motorsport.com can reveal.

When the Qatar track returned to the F1 calendar last year, its schedule placing in early October meant even during its night-time track session settings, temperatures for the race never dipped below 31°C on what is a fast, high-energy circuit layout.

This led to several drivers suffering physical problems as they pushed on over the race’s 57 laps, with Williams’ Logan Sargeant withdrawing with heatstroke, Alpine driver Esteban Ocon vomiting in his helmet and Aston Martin racer Lance Stroll briefly passing out.

Following this, and in consultation with all the teams, the FIA instigated an investigation into what had occurred.

It promised “material action now to avoid a repeat of this scenario”, even with Qatar moving back to December for its 2024 edition and temperatures, therefore, predicted to be lower, in a statement released last October.

Part of the FIA’s effort included consulting with its medical commission, with a subsequent step quickly arriving in F1’s 2024 technical rules that allowed a second cooling inlet scoop to be placed on the top of the nose at the front of the cockpit to improve airflow towards drivers.

The governing body has now made good on its post-Qatar vow to produce “guidance for competitors” and “research into modifications for more efficient airflow in the cockpit”.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 1st position, has a drink in Parc Ferme

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Starting at the upcoming Dutch GP, an experimental system will be fitted to one car to test an FIA-researched method of direct in-cockpit air cooling.

Unlike a standard air conditioning unit, however, Motorsport.com understands the system is arranged in several smaller structures around the cockpit and its surrounding car bodywork, to channel cooled air to the driver.

Tests at subsequent races will follow the Zandvoort experiment and if these all prove successful the FIA will introduce the system as mandatory in F1’s rules.

But it will only get teams to fit the devices if conditions require their use, as had been part of the FIA’s aborted attempt to fit temporary wheel spray guards to cars in extreme wet weather.

In a statement supplied exclusively to Motorsport.com, the FIA said: “In response to the extreme temperatures experienced at last year’s Qatar GP, the FIA and all F1 teams immediately initiated research to improve the venting and cooling of drivers in such conditions.

“Since then, the technical regulations have been updated to allow the introduction of a passive scoop on top of the cockpit for enhanced ventilation, which teams are strongly encouraged to use.

Esteban Ocon, Alpine A523

Photo by: Alpine

“These joint research activities have advanced and focused on the development of an active cooling system which would be installed in F1 cars when facing extreme conditions.

“Initial tests and in-situ proof of concept are planned to take place in Zandvoort and upcoming races.

“If these tests prove successful, the FIA will mandate the installation of such an active cooling system in Formula 1 cars in the future when a heat hazard will have been declared.”

Excessive heat is a hot topic at this weekend’s Hungarian GP, which is set to rival the Imola and Austrian races as being F1’s hottest of 2024 so far – plus the additional factor here of the Hungaroring’s many corners.

That puts this race closer to a potential Qatar scenario, as the drivers do not get much chance for physical respite during the race.

The FIA is therefore expected to force the teams to run the passive upper nose cone scoop, as it is not mandatory in F1’s rules.

Lando Norris, McLaren, in cockpit

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

“Additionally, teams will be authorised exceptional measures to cool down driver equipment and survival cell as much as possible before sessions,” the FIA statement added.

Motorsport.com understands that this includes the teams being allowed to remove the driver’s seat and other cockpit parts to cool them before use in sessions before putting them back onto the car, something that is currently prohibited by F1’s rules.