Lando Norris says Formula 1’s Qatar Grand Prix was on the “limit” of driver physicality, claiming the heat, humidity and flat-out race made it “too dangerous”.
Drivers were pushed to the extremes in Qatar due to a mixture of the hot conditions, high g-forces and a high-paced race that was influenced by the last-minute mandatory tyre stints following concerns over tyre wear.
All of this combined saw drivers on the edge of physical strain, with Esteban Ocon vomiting in his helmet, Logan Sargeant retiring with heatstroke and several visiting the medical centre post-race.
Norris, who finished on the podium for the third consecutive race, felt F1 had gone too far in what should be considered acceptable conditions for drivers to compete in.
“I think today we probably found the limit. I think it’s sad we had to find it this way,” said Norris, as quoted by Motorsport.com.
“It’s never a nice situation to be in, some people ending up in the medical centre or passing out, and things like that. So, a pretty dangerous thing to have going on.
“But it’s not a point where you can just go, the drivers need to train more or do any of that. We’re in a closed car that gets extremely hot in a very physical race. And it’s frustrating.
“I guess on TV, it probably doesn’t look very physical at all, but clearly, when you have people who end up retiring or in such a bad state, it’s too much, you know, for the speeds we’re doing. It is too dangerous.
“I know that this race next year is later on in the season, and it will be a lot cooler a few months later, but it’s something that needs to be thought of, and I’m sure we’ll speak about it because it shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”
Race winner Max Verstappen also believed the conditions were too much for the drivers, but refuted suggestions that the physical toll they were put under was nothing to do with them not being fit enough.
“When I saw the weather before coming here, I was not looking forward to it,” he said. “It’s just too warm, and like Lando said, it has nothing to do with more training or whatever.
“I think some of the guys who were struggling are extremely fit, probably even fitter than me, but just the whole day it’s like you’re walking around in a sauna. And also then in the night the humidity goes up.
“The races are quite long, but it’s not the only place. There are a few places like that. I think Singapore is almost like a two-hour race and it’s very, very warm. I think it’s also quite on the limit of what is what should be allowed. So there are a few things to look at. But this was definitely way too hot.”
Next year’s event is expected to be an easier affair as Qatar is scheduled to be run on December 1, where conditions should be much cooler.
But after a weekend dominated by tyres problems, revised curbs and track limits, Verstappen was clear there were plenty of issues that needed evaluating.
“Obviously we need some discussions I think about a lot of things from this weekend,” added Verstappen. “It’s not a good situation to be in.”
