FIA declares official heat hazard for Bahrain Grand Prix as monsoon weather lashes Malaysia

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Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia

FIA declares official heat hazard for Bahrain Grand Prix as monsoon weather lashes Malaysia

Chaotic weather is forecast in the coming days

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson F1 Editor

Motorsport journalist covering F1 since 2024

Wednesday 30 September 2026 18:45

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The FIA has declared an official heat hazard ahead of this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

F1 returns to Sepang International Circuit for the first time since 2017 in the coming days, with Malaysia having stepped up to host the Bahrain race after it was postponed earlier in the season due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

However, while Bahrain has a hot, desert climate, in stark contrast Malaysia is hot, humid and tropical with frequent rainfall.

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As a result, rain and thunderstorms could play havoc with this weekend's F1 schedule, with a high chance of both currently forecast throughout Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

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FIA declares heat hazard ahead of Bahrain GP

While the wet weather is a threat, the heat and humidity are also an issue, so much so that the FIA have moved to declare an official heat hazard ahead of the grand prix.

A note from FIA F1 race director Rui Marques read: In accordance with Article B1.5.10 of the FIA F1 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 Competition, a Heat Hazard is declared."

So, what exactly is a heat hazard, and what does it mean?

What does an FIA heat hazard mean in F1?

As the FIA's note mentioned, a heat hazard comes under Article B1.5.10 of the FIA F1 Regulations, and is declared when either: a) the official weather service predicts that the heat index will be greater than 31.0°C, or b) at the sole discretion of the race director.

Once declared, a few things come into play.

A) All components of the Driver Cooling System, with the exception of any cooling medium and any items of a driver’s personal equipment that form part of the system must be fitted for the entire duration of the Competition.

B) At the start of any Sprint or Race for which a Heat Hazard has been declared, all components of the Driver Cooling System must be fitted. The system must be functional and available for use by the driver, meeting the specific provisions included in Article C14.6.1 for the relevant session for which a Heat Hazard has been declared.

As per the official F1 website, the cooling system consists of several components, including 'a pump, plumbing and thermal store, with cold fluid generated by the system delivered to the drivers through a special fireproof vest featuring various tubes.'

The regulations state that a driver does not have to wear this vest, in which case, the rules are that 'all other components, including any cooling medium of the Driver Cooling System, must be fitted.'

So far this season, a heat hazard has been declared by the FIA at two races - the Austrian Grand Prix in June, and the Italian Grand Prix in early September.