George Russell can’t keep cool for 60C race as Mercedes put car first
The Times • • sports
Key Points:
- George Russell and teammate Kimi Antonelli will not use cooling vests during the hot Malaysian Grand Prix due to Mercedes prioritizing car performance within F1's $215 million cost cap.
- The race, relocated from Bahrain due to Middle East conflicts, is expected to have temperatures above 31°C, prompting FIA to declare a heat hazard and allow optional cooling vests or a 5kg ballast penalty.
- Cooling vests require costly team-developed systems to keep the cooling liquid effective; Mercedes chose not to invest in a robust system to avoid compromising car performance.
- Russell has previously struggled with heat, including a severe episode at the 2024 Singapore GP, and advocates for FIA support or external funding to make cooling vests universally available.
- Other teams like Ferrari and McLaren plan to use cooling vests, while some drivers such as Max Verstappen avoid them due to discomfort; Mercedes has introduced upgrades to improve cockpit cooling for the race.
