F1 declares heat hazard for Austrian Grand Prix as Europe swelters
Formula 1 has activated its heat hazard protocol for this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix, with temperatures forecast to exceed 31°C. Drivers may wear liquid-cooled vests or accept a ballast penalty.
The FIA declared a heat hazard for the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, the first time this season that the protocol has been invoked in Europe. Race director Rui Marques said official forecasts show temperatures above 31 degrees Celsius (88 Fahrenheit) for the race weekend. Inside the cockpit, conditions can become far more punishing.
What the protocol requires
Teams must fit a driver cooling system, typically a vest with tubing that circulates chilled liquid, linked to a pump in the car. Using the vest is not mandatory. A driver who declines must carry additional ballast to prevent a weight advantage, half a kilogram according to one Italian outlet, five kilograms according to another. Max Verstappen has already stated he will not use the cooling system.
A European first
The heat hazard rules were introduced last year after the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, where several drivers needed medical help for dehydration and heat exhaustion. The designation was first applied at the Singapore Grand Prix in October 2025, then at the United States Grand Prix in Austin the same month. The Austrian round is the eighth of the championship, with 19-year-old Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli leading the standings.
The driver's perspective
Esteban Ocon of Haas captured the challenge bluntly on media day:
The heat will be extreme, we will cook in the car. It is scorching hot across Europe. We are lucky it is not the hottest here. It will also be a challenge to keep the tyres intact until the end of the race. The warmer it is, the greater the wear.
Wider heat context
Europe is in the grip of a heatwave that has forced extraordinary measures in several sports. At Wimbledon, tennis player Jannik Sinner used a cooling vest between sets. In Formula 1, the governing body has also refined the protocol: during sprint weekends, the heat hazard can now be declared separately for the sprint, the race, or both, rather than blanket the entire event.
