Austrian Grand Prix declared a heat-hazard race
sportsJun 25, 20261868
The FIA declared the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring a heat-hazard and granted teams a weight exemption so they can fit dedicated cooling tanks and pumps to circulate cold fluid through drivers' suits. Forecasters expect trackside temperatures above 31°C and as high as 38°C during the race weekend, prompting the measure amid a Europe heatwave. Teams must declare the added cooling hardware to FIA scrutineers and will run with adjusted minimum-weight calculations, forcing changes to practice workloads and race strategies as drivers cope with higher cockpit heat. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz sat out a practice session as teams evaluated cooling solutions while Ferrari brings an engine upgrade to the Austrian event.
