Aston Martin is trying to solve the problem of cockpit overheating

According to Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack, they may soon look at adding air conditioning to the car to solve the problem of overheating in the cockpit.

Much has been said and written about the fact that Formula 1 drivers in Qatar had to work in conditions of extreme heat and humidity. But some of those who had a particularly tough time were Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. In particular, the Spaniard complained that he felt very uncomfortable driving his AMR23, as the seat and the right side of the cockpit became very overheated.

“I think it was a bit difficult for both of us, Lance and I, because of the high temperature in the seating area, on the right side,” Alonso said after the Grand Prix, in which he finished sixth and his teammate 11th. “It was so hot for the first fifteen laps that I even asked the team on the radio if they could throw water on me during the pit stop or think of something else.” But it turned out that this was not allowed.

We are used to going through certain difficulties, but today they were extreme.”

Mike Krak acknowledges the problem and emphasizes that the team is trying to solve it.

“We are working on it. Fernando has indeed reported on it more than once,” Speedcafe quotes the team leader. – This does not mean that we have done nothing at all, because in Singapore we have already applied a solution that has allowed us to achieve significant improvements could be achieved.

But then of course we had to deal with extreme circumstances again. All in all, I think if this continues, we won’t be far from the introduction of air conditioning.

The hydraulic lines run through the cockpit, the electronic control unit (ECU) is located nearby, all this heats up and although we try to insulate the driver’s seat from this, we do not want to use active cooling systems, because this only makes the car heavier.”

Modern Formula 1 cars weigh 796 kg – something so heavy has never been seen before in the history of the championship, but this is mainly due to the hybrid part of the power plant. During chassis development, it is extremely important for designers and team engineers to avoid excess weight and ensure optimal weight distribution, as all of this directly affects the car’s performance. And issues related to rider comfort fade into the background.

The cars are equipped with containers for supplying water, or rather, special drinks, so that racers on the Grand Prix distance can somehow maintain the fluid balance, but in hot conditions everything overheats so much that sometimes it is simply impossible to drink. There are no additional cooling systems.

It’s interesting how literally Mike Krack’s words can be taken, and how close Aston Martin came to implementing something similar.