Qatar Grand Prix rigorous test for the drivers in the extreme Heat
Multiple Drivers fell ill after succumbing to Heat
The Qatar Grand Prix of the Formula 1 racing series proved to be a rigorous test for the drivers. A number of them required medical attention after the race. Logan Sargeant of Williams dropped out of the race mid-way due to illness. Alpine’s Esteban Ocon was sick in his helmet early on. Alex Albon and Lance Stroll both had difficulty getting out of their cars in Parc fermé. Oscar Piastri was seen lying down in the podium cooldown room to recover. F1 drivers are regarded as some of the fittest athletes in the world, with many undergoing sauna training in preparation for heat-critical races. So why did the Lusail International Circuit prove to be such a challenge?
Extreme Heat
The extreme heat was a major factor, as we reported here.
The air temperature at the start of the race was 32 degrees Celsius despite the sun having set well in advance. While this may not be an exceptional heat, several factors played against the drivers. The humidity was also high in Doha as the wind dropped from the first two days of running. With less cool air from the breeze to cool the effects of the temperature and humidity, one mitigating variable was removed. The cockpit temperatures skyrocketed as a result. Less airflow helps to cool the drivers down as the air temperature combined with the inner heartbeat of each car sends heat levels through the roof.
The drivers were affected by wasted heat from the car’s mechanics, such as the power unit. Fernando Alonso demonstrated this when he radioed his Aston Martin team to complain about his seat burning. George Russell was seen lifting his visor in the hope of finding cooling air when pitting for Mercedes. Lando Norris doing the same for McLaren. However, on the race track, when Yuki Tsunoda attempted to get airflow into his helmet, the AlphaTauri driver was met with a face full of sand. Hot air from cars in front can also exacerbate the issue. While drinking through the race will keep a driver hydrated, much like they are heated up, so is the fluid. There was no cooling effect from that either, which usually leads to a driver opting not to take on the vital liquid.
Williams Racing on Twitter: “Following Logan’s retirement from the Grand Prix, he has been assessed and cleared by the medical team on-site after suffering from intense dehydration during the race weakened by having flu like symptoms earlier in the week. pic.twitter.com/oeLhDrtfGC / Twitter”
Following Logan’s retirement from the Grand Prix, he has been assessed and cleared by the medical team on-site after suffering from intense dehydration during the race weakened by having flu like symptoms earlier in the week. pic.twitter.com/oeLhDrtfGC
Logan, who retired from the Grand Prix, has been evaluated by the medical team on-site after suffering from intense dehydration during the race weakened by having flu-like symptoms earlier in the week.
The Track will Test Drivers
The Lusail International Circuit was built primarily for motorcycle racing back in 2004, and the layout shows. One main straight is connected at either end by a circuit made up mostly of medium-to-high-speed corners. Giving the drivers little respite from the intense workload through the lap. High g-force puts stress through the body and consumes extra energy, only adding to the effects of dehydration from the intense heat. When the start-finish straight finally does come, drivers are presented with the only significant overtaking opportunity of the lap. Meaning little thought would go into relaxing.
For circuits where the above would usually be an issue, tire management to ensure a one-or-two-stop race is achievable would usually take place. This would lead to drastically slower lap times compared to qualifying. The measures introduced by the FIA and Pirelli in the wake of the tire safety concerns from Friday’s post-practice compound analysis made the problem worse. Drivers were allowed to complete no more than 18 laps on a set of tires, and management was thrown out the window. Instead, the shorter stints needed to be maximized to avoid losing out with everyone stuck to a minimum three-stopper.
How is the stint maximized? Pace. Drivers were racing as if it was qualifying for 57 laps, only increasing the effects of the heat and exhaustion. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc referred to this when speaking to media, explaining: “The most significant part is the fact that we had to do three stops, that meant no tire management in the high speed and qualifying lap after qualifying lap.”
Desi Racing Co. on Twitter: “Alex Albon struggling post-race while getting out of the car!!Ocon puking in the helmet, Lance struggling to Exit, George almost fainting, Logan Sargeant retiring.Qatar GP is really hard on the Drivers and it has a contract for 10 years#F1 #QatarGP pic.twitter.com/Vf6NLltBp4 / Twitter”
Alex Albon struggling post-race while getting out of the car!!Ocon puking in the helmet, Lance struggling to Exit, George almost fainting, Logan Sargeant retiring.Qatar GP is really hard on the Drivers and it has a contract for 10 years#F1 #QatarGP pic.twitter.com/Vf6NLltBp4
Should the Calendar Change?
Concerns over the FIFA World Cup held in Qatar last year led to it taking place in December rather than the tournament’s usual summer slot. The reasons for this were evident in the weekend’s F1 race. The heat has proved a big issue. But the schedule usually accounts for such climactic issues, as proven by the sport’s other Middle-Eastern Grands Prix. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are also held at night but in March, missing the highest temperatures of the year. Abu Dhabi takes place at the end of the season in late November for a similar reason. Qatar is shifting back to November next season, which should alleviate the issue somewhat. If similar issues persist, discussions will need to be had over driver safety moving forward.