As Formula One leaves Qatar, after a weekend that saw Max Verstappen dominate and take home his third World Championship title, many are questioning as to why the extremely hot weather conditions were deemed acceptable to race in, especially after several drivers were reported to be struggling with heat exhaustion and dehydration by the end of the racing day.
Throughout the weekend conditions were hot and humid, something we usually see at races such as Malaysia and Singapore. However, come Sunday evening, the wind had subsided but the temperature was still hot, despite nightfall. Logan Sargeant pulled out mid-race due to feeling generally unwell, and later, Esteban Ocon would confirm that he vomited under his visor in the early stages of the race. Fernando Alonso, reportedly, finished the race with burns on his body, and several drivers struggled to extract themselves from their cockpits, among other issues such as feelings of blacking out and poor vision. But why, when F1 frequently races in the desert, did drivers find this race "absolutley brutal?"
It's difficult to pinpoint the exact issue but with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees c and a high level of humidity, mixed with little wind and the heat coming from a Formula One car, there is no surprise that drivers, such as George Russell, Lando Norris and Yuki Tsunoda, were seen lifting up their visors while racing to get as much cool air as they could. As for the on-board drinks system, the surrounding mechanics of the car heat up the liquid to a point where it is no longer hydrating the driver, leading to a bout of dehydration. And, it's not only the conditions which could have played apart. The Lusail Circuit was primarily built for motorcycle racing, meaning nearly every corner is high-speed, giving the driver little time for a bit of rest and relaxation. There wasn't even any break with the tyres. A mandatory eighteen lap lifespan for each compound meant that tyre saving wasn't an issue and drivers were free to push. Even though drivers thoroughly prepare themselves for the warmer climates, did the Qatari heat and a circuit with little give take everyone by surprise? It was only the second time Formula One has ever raced there, and at a different time of year also.
In the days after the race, social media has been rife with Formula One fans calling for the FIA to look at the mistakes they made during the Qatar Grand Prix, with many believing health and safety wasn't of an importance over the course of the race weekend. Several drivers also haven't been afraid to voice their opinions.
“By far the most physical race I’ve ever competed in.”
- George Russell
“Today we probably found the limit. (...) On TV it probably doesn’t look that physical but when you have people who end up retiring it is too much; for the speeds we are doing it is too dangerous. It’s something we need to speak about because it shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”
- Lando Norris
In response, the FIA confirmed that they will “provide recommendations for future situations of extreme weather conditions. (...) While being elite athletes, they should not be expected to compete under conditions that could jeopardise their health or safety.”
Despite this, comments have been made by well-known figures in the F1 community who believe that there was little to no problems with the Qatar Grand Prix.
"It’s races like Qatar and very rainy days which make F1 drivers look the heroes and athletes they are. Absolutely don’t buy into the weak view we shouldn’t put them through this kind of challenge. Check out Senna in Brazil, Stewart at rainy Nurburgring, Lauda post crash, etc etc" - Martin Brundle
Comments, such as these, haven't gone down particularly well with fans of F1. Many have argued that safety should be prioritised and good health shouldn't be seen as a "weak" attribute. One person tweeted: "Being exhausted and tested to the limit of human body is ok. Loss of consciousness and drive head on into the barriers at 300+ kph is not."
But what do I make of all this?
As someone who has been following Formula One for a relatively long time, I know that drivers prepare themselves to the max for hot and humid races, such as Singapore, for example. The different factors show us that the heat/humidity, although the main contributor, wasn't the sole cause of the health issues some drivers faced. With the combination of the heat, a high-speed circuit and complex cars prone to overheating, can we really be surprised at how physically demanding the Qatar Grand Prix was?
With the visual evidence that we have of how the drivers fared, this race was one limit that was pushed way over the line. I completely understand, to some extent, as to what Brundle has said (see above), but putting one's good-health first should not be seen as a sign of weakness. By all means, these are twenty elite-athletes who want to push themselves to the extremes, but there is a stark difference of pushing oneself to achieve something to pushing oneself that leads to health issues. The Qatar Grand Prix was just a dangerous reminder of how physically demanding this sport can be. I, for one, feel something like this shouldn't happen again.
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