By Alan Baldwin
BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Formula One will test an active cooling system in the cockpits of cars from next month’s Dutch Grand Prix as a response to extreme heat experienced by drivers in Qatar last year.
Some of those racing in Doha last October were on the verge of collapse by the end of the race, severely dehydrated and vomiting, while Williams driver Logan Sargeant felt too ill to continue.
The FIA said afterwards that it would act to protect drivers from such heat in future.
A spokesman for the governing body said the FIA and all 10 teams had immediately begun research to improve venting to cool the drivers.
The technical regulations had been updated to allow a passive scoop on top of the cockpit for better ventilation with teams “strongly encouraged” to use it.
“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,” the spokesman added.
“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 One cars in the future when a heat hazard will have been declared.”
Track temperatures in Hungary during first practice on Friday were pushing 60 degrees Celsius, although Saturday qualifying at the Hungaroring was considerably cooler, with light rain.
The FIA said it was monitoring the situation to ensure driver cooling passive scoops were installed, with teams allowed exceptional measures to cool down driver equipment and cockpits as much as possible.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ken Ferris)
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