Lewis Hamilton is not in favour of a proposed F1 change that the FIA is investigating.
Lewis Hamilton has played his hand in the debate about introducing air-conditioning into F1 cockpits for extreme conditions, such as those experienced at the Qatar Grand Prix last season.
Drivers were subjected to intense heat at the Lusail International Circuit last year, leading to disastrous consequences. Logan Sargeant was forced to retire after suffering symptoms of heat stroke, while Esteban Ocon threw up inside his helmet before continuing to the chequered flag.
These conditions sparked intense conversations about the cockpit conditions, and eventually led to the testing of an air-conditioning system that would alleviate the heat experienced by drivers in similar conditions. However, Hamilton is not in favour of this idea and the Brit had a message for his F1 rivals.
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“It’s not needed,” he stated. “This is Formula One. It’s always been like this. It’s tough in these conditions. And we’re highly paid athletes. You’ve got to train your ass off to make sure you can withstand the heat, ultimately. It’s tough. It’s not easy, especially when you go to places like Qatar and Singapore. But I don’t think we need an AC unit in the car.”
These bold comments are a continuation of Hamilton’s stance from after the race in Qatar last year where, despite crashing out on the opening lap following contact with his team-mate, he went against the wider opinion of the grid and suggested that F1 should be an “extreme sport”.
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