Overview
- Mercedes confirmed that George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli will compete at the Bahrain Grand Prix held in Sepang without in-car cooling vests.
- The FIA declared the race a heat-hazard event and practice readings and forecasts show cockpit and track temperatures that can reach roughly 50–60°C, increasing risks of dehydration and heat exhaustion.
- George Russell and team statements say the decision came because the 2026 cost cap required the team to allocate resources to a multi-part upgrade package for the W17 rather than to develop a more robust cooling system.
- Under the FIA ruling, teams may fit an in-car cooling system or carry a compulsory 5kg ballast if they opt out, and several rivals including Ferrari and McLaren are using cooling vests this weekend.
- Russell has urged the FIA to exempt cooling-vest development from the budget cap or provide external funding, a dispute that could prompt changes to how safety equipment is treated under F1’s cost controls.