Ferrari ace Charles Leclerc: “Some drivers don’t want to hear any of it”

Singapore is a very special round of the World Championship – fans and riders alike agree on that. This is because the street race in the city-state takes place against a unique backdrop, and it is run at night, which turns the schedule on its head. And this time, the weekend in Singapore will be held in sprint format.

One of the many challenges is the heat, which, combined with the high humidity, pushes the riders to their limits. Race control has already designated both the Sprint and the Grand Prix as ‘heat races’. This means drivers are permitted to wear cooling vests. Anyone who chooses not to must compensate for the weight difference with ballast.

Charles Leclerc reveals: the cooling vest works optimally for 15 to 20 laps

For Charles Leclerc, one thing is certain: he will be wearing Ferrari’s cooling vest. Even if it is not yet sophisticated enough to function as desired over the full race distance. The Monegasque driver explained in the Singapore paddock: “Of course, I wouldn’t say no to an even better vest. But it works pretty well for 15 to 20 laps now. After that, it gets quite warm in the cockpit, as if you weren’t wearing a cooling vest at all.”

“But at least this way I get to benefit from it for the first 15 to 20 laps, and I’m grateful for that alone. It’s not as if I feel that every driver on the grid is fit enough to get through a whole race without a drop in performance. Of course, with such high fluid loss, you do lose performance – it’s bound to get tough towards the end of the race. That’s why I think all drivers want to make the most of it. But obviously, some drivers don’t want to hear any of it. That’s their choice; ultimately, it comes down to each individual’s preference.”

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