McLaren driver Lando Norris has publicly criticised the FIA, prompting a statement from the motorsport governing body. FIA and Formula One Partner to Address Extreme Conditions Following Qatar Grand Prix Criticism
In response to the severe challenges faced by drivers during the Qatar Grand Prix due to scorching temperatures, the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) and Formula One have joined forces to proactively tackle the issue. This collaboration comes after multiple drivers raised concerns about the extreme heat, which resulted in three drivers seeking medical attention for overheating.
Max Verstappen, who secured his third consecutive world championship title during the event, expressed his worries about the intense heat inside the cockpits and called for a meeting with the FIA. He emphasized the need for discussions, stating, “This was definitely way too hot. Obviously, we need some discussions I think about a lot of things from this weekend. It’s not a good situation to be in.”
Lando Norris echoed these concerns, describing the conditions as “too dangerous” and revealing that some drivers had passed out after the race.
In response to the drivers’ feedback, the FIA issued a statement expressing concern about the impact of extreme temperatures and humidity on the well-being of the drivers. The statement highlighted that elite athletes should not be expected to compete under conditions that could jeopardize their health or safety.
The FIA is taking proactive steps to address this issue, initiating an analysis of the situation in Qatar to formulate recommendations for handling extreme weather conditions in the future. While the next year’s Qatar Grand Prix is scheduled for a later part of the year when lower temperatures are expected, the FIA is committed to immediate action to prevent a recurrence of the challenging scenario.
The FIA’s statement also mentioned that discussions will focus on implementing a “number of measures” to enhance driver safety during races in Qatar. One of the primary areas of concern will be improving airflow into the cockpit, which was identified as a root cause of many issues faced by drivers in Doha. The lack of airflow within the confined cockpit space had severe consequences, leading to Logan Sargeant’s retirement due to extreme dehydration caused by the intense heat.
