The FIA has officially declared a heat hazard for the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix, which will be held at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia this weekend.
The inevitable decision has been made by the sport’s governing body, with temperatures forecast to be in the low 30s alongside high humidity and chances of rain throughout the race weekend.
This decision means that team are required to fit components of the Driver Cooling System on the cars. Drivers can choose to wear a specialised cooling vest during the race, though if they choose not to an additional ballast will be required to account for the extra weight.
Whilst the cooling system is designed to lower body temperature, some drivers, such as Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, have called the optional cooling vest unnecessary and ineffective over a full race distance.
Sepang is an especially physically demanding track for drivers. The circuit features long straights, fast corners, and heavy braking zones, which combine with Malaysia’s hot and humid climate to create a significant physical challenge.
This the third race in 2026 to have a heat hazard declared. The regulations come into effect whenever temperatures will exceed 31C at any point of the race, as happened in Austria and Italy this year.
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