How F1 teams prepare for heat and humidity
Formula 1 is preparing for a hot, wet and wild run of races in South East Asia – here’s how we get set to race in Malaysia and Singapore
Published
30 SEP 2026
Est. reading time
3 min
Some things at the Sepang International Circuit remain the same since our last visit in 2017. The impressive grandstand that stretches the length of the first and final straights is still there, as are the fast, flowing esses.
And then there’s the climate, which will be a major talking point for both of these upcoming races in South East Asia – it's unlike anything else we experience on the calendar.
Here’s what drivers, teams and fans can expect, and how we go about preparing for these unique conditions.
Storms from nowhere
Kuala Lumpur’s heat and humidity make for an incredibly volatile atmosphere. Warm air rises quickly here, meeting the cooler air above it and forming towering cumulonimbus clouds.
These storms can build with very little warning, sometimes faster than the radar can pick them up. Teams have been known in the past to deploy spotters around the circuit to relay live weather updates back to the pit wall.
Dark clouds loom overhead during the 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix
It’s something this region is all too familiar with. The 2009 Grand Prix at Sepang was stopped owing to a downpour and never restarted, while in 2012 we got going again after a red flag that lasted almost an hour.
Given that it's only 300km down the coast – and just over 100km north of the equator – Singapore is also no stranger to these interruptions. The start of its 2022 race delayed by more than an hour owing to thunderstorms.
When it’s not raining, it’s roasting
Air temperatures in the mid-30s are typical, and cockpit temperatures can climb well beyond 50°C. The humidity makes it worse, because sweat doesn’t evaporate and the body struggles to cool itself.
Drivers load up on fluids in the lead up to every session, and can still lose two to three kilos across a Grand Prix distance.
Expect to see our drivers taking on plenty of fluids when they're outside of the car
There isn’t much relief in the cockpit either, as the drinks bottle holds up to 1.5 litres, but by the closing laps, the water in it is roughly as warm as a cup of tea.
And then there are the obligatory ice baths, perfect for a post-session dip to bring the body’s core temperature back down.
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What a heat hazard means
The FIA brought in heat hazard rules for the 2025 season, after drivers needed medical attention in the extreme conditions of the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix.
A heat hazard is declared when the official weather service forecasts a Heat Index above 31°C at some point during the race. Once it’s declared, every car must be fitted with a driver cooling system. That system is a vest which pumps chilled fluid through a network of tubes.
Alex wearing the driver cooling system vest in Austria earlier this season
Drivers aren’t obligated to wear the system, but if they opt not take it, their car must carry ballast instead, so nobody gains a weight advantage by leaving it out.
The rule triggered was used for the first time in Singapore last year, and then again at the next round in Austin. This season, it has already been triggered on two occasions – Spielberg and Monza. Now it’s Sepang’s turn, and with Marina Bay to follow, the vests will almost certainly stay plugged in for a while.
A team sport in the heat
The drivers aren’t the only ones who suffer. The crew are also putting in long hours in the already warm environment of a Formula 1 garage.
Therefore, hydration is also constant. Water and isotonic drinks keep flowing all weekend, and the main job is simply reminding everyone to keep drinking.
Food matters just as much. Keeping carbohydrate and glucose levels topped up helps keep decisions sharp and reactions quick, which counts for a lot when a pit stop lasts two seconds.
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