FIA respond to Verstappen plea and Norris fury as Qatar GP statement issued
Max Verstappen wins third consecutive Formula One world championship
The FIA have announced that they will be working with Formula One to try and ‘avoid a repeat’ of the extreme conditions that drivers had to contend with during the Qatar Grand Prix. Several stars complained about the temperatures on Sunday, with three drivers taking themselves to the medical centre after falling unwell as a result of overheating.
Max Verstappen landed his third successive world championship title over the weekend, but celebrating his success in the Grand Prix on Sunday was not his priority. Instead, the Dutchman called for a meeting with the FIA to discuss how drivers were subjected to intense heat during the cockpits during the race.
The Red Bull star said: “This was definitely way too hot. Obviously, we need some discussions I think about a lot of things from this weekend. It’s not a good situation to be in.” Lando Norris doubled down on the claims, claiming it was ‘too dangerous’ and revealed that drivers passed out after the race.
Following the barrage of complaints, the FIA released a statement on Monday night that read: “The FIA notes with concern that the extreme temperature and humidity during the 2023 FIA Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix had an impact on the wellbeing of the drivers. While being elite athletes, they should not be expected to compete under conditions that could jeopardise their health or safety.
“The safe operation of the cars is, at all times, the responsibility of the Competitors, however as with other matters relating to safety such as circuit infrastructure and car safety requirements, the FIA will take all reasonable measures to establish and communicate acceptable parameters in which Competitions are held.
“As such, the FIA has begun an analysis into the situation in Qatar to provide recommendations for future situations of extreme weather conditions. It should be noted that while next year’s edition of the Qatar Grand Prix is scheduled later in the year, when temperatures are expected to be lower, the FIA prefers to take material action now to avoid a repeat of this scenario.”
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The statement went on to reveal that they will discuss a ‘number of measures’ in the hope of making racing in Qatar safer for drivers. Among the options cited, research into how more efficient airflow into the cockpit will be looked into.
The lack of airflow in such a confined space led to the majority of the issues in Doha, with Logan Sargeant being forced to retire on Sunday due to extreme dehydration caused by the heat.
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