Verstappen Jokes He Should Take Russell to Sauna as F1 Cooling Vest Debate Heats Up

The question of whether cooling vests should become mandatory in Formula 1 has resurfaced during the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend. The topic gained attention two years ago, when the FIA explored the possibility of making the devices compulsory. However, the proposal was ultimately dropped after strong opposition from several drivers.

Verstappen was among the most vocal critics at the time. The Dutchman said the cooling vest feels uncomfortable in the car and argued that its use should remain a free choice. He suggested that drivers who do not want to use the vest should simply carry the extra ballast instead.

The FIA has kept the system voluntary, but Russell has reignited the debate in Sepang. The Mercedes driver said he would like to use the vest, but explained that Mercedes has not developed the system as far as he would like, partly because other priorities have taken precedence under the budget cap.

Russell believes the FIA would help by allowing teams more budget for the technology. Verstappen rejects that idea. The four-time world champion remains against the cooling vest and argues that heat is one of the difficult conditions Formula 1 drivers should be prepared for.

“I don’t need that cooling vest and I won’t use it. Maybe I suffer less from the heat, I guess,” Verstappen said during his Dutch media session in the paddock.

“Once you’re in the car, yes, it’s hot, but that’s part of it. That’s what you train for, you have to make sure you’re fit enough for it. When you get out of the car after the race, of course you need to drink a lot and also quickly eat something.”

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Sona Maleterova / Getty Images

Verstappen also pushed back on the suggestion that the FIA should intervene further. Russell had compared racing in conditions like those in Malaysia to racing in a sauna, but Verstappen called the comparison an overstatement.

“I think a proper Finnish sauna at 85 or 100 degrees is pretty hot! You shouldn’t make such a fuss either,” Verstappen said.

“It’s hot, but that’s all part of the game. You have to train for that. Of course it’s uncomfortable, but in every sport you have to push yourself to the limit. You can’t just stroll around.”

He added that drivers can adapt with the right preparation. According to Verstappen, he has trained specifically for heat exposure and now copes with the demands of Sepang better than in 2017, when he won the most recent Malaysian Grand Prix.

“Yes, I think I’m a bit fitter and stronger now than I was back then,” Verstappen confirmed.

“When I was 18, I sometimes struggled a bit more with the heat as well. But ultimately, you just have to train more in the heat then, maybe in the sauna, so that you become more comfortable with it.”

“It’s about being able to sit in there for longer, being able to cope with the sweating, your head getting really hot, all those kinds of things. So maybe I should take him [Russell] to the sauna sometime!”

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