Driver Cooling System

In Simple Terms

F1 cars must have a cooling system to keep drivers comfortable in the cockpit. The system either needs to remove at least 200 watts of heat when it's 40°C outside, or store enough thermal energy to cool the driver throughout the race. The cooling fluid used must be environmentally friendly and can only be air, water, or special salt/glycol solutions.

• Cooling system must extract minimum 200W of heat at 40°C ambient temperature OR store 1.1MJ of thermal energy
• Refrigerant must have Global Warming Potential (GWP) less than 10 to protect the environment
• Only approved cooling mediums allowed: air, water, or sodium/potassium chloride/propylene glycol solutions
• Driver safety and comfort depend on effective heat management during races