Williams finally got something right: cooling vests. Alex Albon called theirs "the best on the grid" after Singapore, where a Heat Hazard declaration gave drivers the choice between wearing one or adding ballast. His took 10 laps to kick in but ran comfortable through 30C temps and 78% humidity. Carlos Sainz backed him—whatever else Williams botched in 2024, they nailed this.
The rest of the paddock isn't sold. Max Verstappen dismissed the concept: cables restrict movement, cooling doesn't last. Kimi Antonelli recounted a nightmare from Austin last year when his pump failed and circulated 50C water, triggering heat stroke. Gasly and Hadjar want nothing to do with them.
The problem is reliability. When vests work, they help. When they fail mid-race, they're worse than nothing. Austin this weekend won't breach Heat Hazard thresholds—Qatar in December is the only remaining shot, if the Iran war doesn't kill it.
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