Possible solution to combat F1 driver heat issue? GPDA chief Alex Wurz calls for 'cooling seats'
Ex-F1 driver Alex Wurz, who is the chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), says that every team should be looking into producing ‘cooling seats’🤡 to help regula🤪te body temperature and limit the negative impact on the human body.
A number of drivers reported feeling unwell, dehydrated and even experiencing fainting episಌodes while taking part in Sunday’s 57-lap race, which was held amid high humidity and temperatur𝓡es exceeding 30C.
Some even had to seek medical attention afterwards, with Williams driver 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Alex Albon treated for acute heat exposure. His teammate168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: Logan Sargeant retired from the race because he could no longer cope with the ♎conditions.
Aston Martin’s 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Fernando Alonso revealed he had been bu🌜rned by his seat due to the extreme temperatures inside the cockpit.
Wurz insisted𒀰 this is an issue that goes beyond fitness.
"It's too easy to say: 'Here is a gym membership - get on witജh it,'" Wurz told BBC Sport.
“Therꩲe are multiple contributing factors which need to be understood by everyone.”
"My 🦹i🌠nitial thoughts revolve around lessons from other categories which have shown heat as a limiting factor for drivers.
"Cooling seats, for example,ꦫ work very wellღ and are not too difficult to produce and install. That is something every team should already be looking at.
"There needs to be better insulation and/or air cooling🐟 for very hot electrical boxes, which are often sited near the drivers' seat, or in the future reroute hot hydraulic lines, so the driver's seat environment is not overheating.
"The entir🦩e rules set has tests and limits for many parts of the car. Given the driver is one of the performance parts of the equation, perhaps it is time to look at defining limits to the heat they are subjected to.”
Tougher fire protection standards for F1 racesuits were implemented prior to Romain G😼rosjean’s fireball crash at the 20ဣ20 Bahrain Grand Prix.
Wurz admitted one of the drawbacks of the upda🍨ted firesuits is that they offer 🍬reduced breathability.
♈"They cook you,” he explained. “I recently tested a car while wearin📖g the new mandatory fireproofs, and I was shocked how hot I was.
"Of course those fireproofs are here for a very good reason꧒ and I am not suggesting a return to lower fireproofing standards, but for those who are not aware what is happening, that is one of many contributing factors."
Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix for mahbx.com around the world. Often reporti💖ng on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the sto🃏ries of the people who matter in the sport.
