Singapore GP fears as unique FIA hazard confirmed

The FIA have officially confirmed F1's first ever 'heat hazard' ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix weekend, as temperatures look set to soar.

F1 heads to the Marina Bay Street Circuit this weekend for round 18 of the 2025 season, with the three-way championship battle between the two McLaren drivers and Max Verstappen resuming.

Oscar Piastri currently leads the way at the top of the standings, 25 points ahead of McLaren team-mate Lando Norris, and 69 ahead of four-time champion Verstappen.

What's more, McLaren are also able to wrap up the constructors' title this weekend, if they claim 13 points between their two cars.

However, if the weather forecast is anything to go by, it's not going to be a pleasant weekend for the drivers or teams. Temperatures of around 30 degrees Celsius are expected for Friday's two practice sessions, but that is likely to feel more like 39 degrees Celsius, while humidity is up around 70 per cent.

It is these conditions, which are set to be present throughout the whole weekend, that has led to the FIA calling that a 'heat hazard' is in place at the circuit.

"In accordance with Article 26.19 of the Sporting Regulations, having received a forecast from the official weather service predicting that the Heat Index will be greater than 31.0 °C at some time during the race at this event, a Heat Hazard is declared," they confirmed in an official statement.

What is a heat hazard in F1?

This declaration of a heat hazard means a change to the rules for drivers this weekend.

As per the sporting regulations, drivers are now allowed to wear cooling vests in the cockpit this weekend which help to cool them down, but if they don't opt to wear one, they have to add around 0.5kg of ballast to their cars.

This was a rule that was brought in for the 2025 season, after some drivers complained during the testing of the vests that they were uncomfortable.

To stop drivers from not wearing one just because it makes the car heavier, all cockpits - whether through the cooling vests or through other measures - have to be 0.5kg heavier when a heat hazard is called.

This weekend's calling of a heat hazard from the FIA is the first of its kind, and is designed to try to stop instances such as at the 2023 Qatar GP, where multiple drivers fell ill due to the hot conditions.

The official regulations state: "The difference in mass between the driver's personal equipment normally used and any items of a driver's personal equipment that form part of the system must be compensated by the fitting of 0.5kg of ballast in the cockpit."

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