Motor racing-F1 drivers say cooling vests should remain optional

* Verstappen and Hamilton say vest should be optional * Singapore race declared a heat hazard SINGAPORE, Oct 4 (Reuters) – Champions Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton urged Formula One's governing body not to make cooling vests mandatory at hot races after a steamy qualifying session in Singapore on Saturday. The race weekend has been declared a heat hazard because of the high temperatures, meaning drivers can either wear a vest which circulates cold liquid through tubes to maintain body temperature, or add extra ballast to their cars. The vests are set to become mandatory in hot conditions from next season. Red Bull's four-times champion Verstappen, already steamed up about being slowed by McLaren's Lando Norris ahead of him in qualifying, said the vests should remain optional. VERSTAPPEN SAYS VEST MUST BE A DRIVER'S CHOICE "I haven't used the vest. I'm also not intending to use it because I feel like this needs to be a driver choice," he explained after qualifying second. "From the FIA side, they will always throw it on safety — but then we can talk about a lot of stuff that can be improved on safety, including pit entries in certain places. I think that has a bit more priority than a vest in the car because I don’t like it. "I don’t like the tubes that are on you, on your body, with the belts that go next to you. Then they can say it’s a bad design. I disagree. It just needs to be an option for the drivers to choose." Verstappen pointed out that Formula One cars were very different to sportscars and the narrow cockpits had limited space for extra equipment. "Where are you going to put the dry ice? The cars are not designed really to have this extra kind of space, and within 15, 20 laps, it’s anyway gone. And then you have hot water … or tea," he said. Ferrari driver Hamilton, who won six of his seven titles with Mercedes, told reporters the vests should not be "forced" on anyone. "They keep saying it's a safety issue, but there's no driver that's ever died from overheating in the race, apart from obviously in flames back in the day," said the 40-year-old Briton. "It's just getting silly. That should be our choice to have it." REGULATION INTRODUCED AFTER 2023 QATAR GRAND PRIX The heat hazard regulation was introduced after drivers suffered exhaustion in the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix. Some are also fans of the vests. Mercedes' George Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, said after securing pole that he had used it already in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. "Of course, here it is much hotter. The dry ice will melt faster," he said, adding that the team had also managed to reduce cockpit temperatures by moving electrical boxes and hydraulic lines. McLaren's championship leader Oscar Piastri, third on the grid, said he had used the vest in practice but was yet to be convinced and it was important to have a choice. "I think the problem with the suit is it's great when it works, but if it fails, it's even worse than not having it," said the Australian. Williams' Carlos Sainz, another GPDA director, said he would be happy for it remain optional even though he was convinced the vest worked and had advantages. "I agree with the guys that don't want to use it. If they don't want to because they feel really uncomfortable then don't use it," said the Spaniard. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Ken Ferris)

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