FIA Declares Heat Hazard for Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang

The FIA has officially declared a heat hazard for the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix, which takes place at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia this weekend. The governing body made the decision following forecasts of temperatures in the low 30s, alongside high humidity and a chance of rain throughout the race weekend.

Under FIA regulations, this declaration requires teams to fit components of the Driver Cooling System to their cars. Drivers have the option to wear a specialized cooling vest during the race. However, if a driver chooses not to wear the vest, an additional ballast must be added to the car to account for the extra weight.

Although the cooling system is designed to reduce body temperature, drivers including Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have described the optional vest as unnecessary and ineffective over a full race distance. Sepang is a physically demanding track featuring long straights, fast corners, and heavy braking zones, which combine with Malaysia's hot and humid climate to test the drivers' physical endurance.

This marks the third race in 2026 where a heat hazard has been declared. The rules are triggered whenever temperatures are expected to exceed 31 degrees Celsius at any point during the race weekend, as was previously the case in Austria and Italy this year.