Drivers on notice: Extreme heat prompts FIA hazard call for Austrian Grand Prix
Formula One’s (F1) governing body is actively enforcing its strict new driver safety protocols in Europe for the first time, forcing teams to structurally modify their cars to combat extreme climate conditions. Since the rule was introduced in 2025 following the infamous 2023 Qatar Grand Prix , the protocol had only ever been activated at notoriously humid flyaway tracks like Singapore and Austin, Texas. Triggering it in Austria proves that extreme weather is fundamentally reshaping the logistical and regulatory baseline of traditional European race weekends.
