Lewis Hamilton dismisses air conditioning in F1 cars: ‘We’re highly-paid athletes’

The FIA Press Conference following the Hungarian Grand Prix was dominated by McLaren.

But Lewis Hamilton, who finished third in the race marking his 200th podium in the sport, offered one of the most fascinating answers of the session.

While Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri faced the bulk of the questions, given how McLaren handled strategy decisions down the stretch in Budapest, Hamilton was asked about a recent report that the sport’s governing body was considering adding cooling units to the cars. The news comes in the wake of last season’s Qatar Grand Prix which, due to a combination of high temperatures and tire limitations, pushed drivers to the absolute limit. Logan Sargeant retired from the race due to the conditions, which were exacerbated by an illness he suffered earlier in the week, and Esteban Ocon admitted to vomiting inside his crash helmet during the race.

Other drivers such as Sargeant’s teammate Alexander Albon were treated after the race for heat exposure.

Hamilton was asked about the report that the FIA was considering adding cooling units, and interestingly enough the veteran driver brushed the idea aside.

“Well, firstly, I didn’t know that. And it’s not needed,” stated Hamilton. “This is Formula 1. It’s always been like this. It’s tough in these conditions. And we’re highly paid athletes,” continued the Mercedes driver. “And you’ve got to train your ass off to make sure you can withstand the heat, ultimately. And it’s tough. It’s not easy, especially when you go to places like Qatar and Singapore.

“But I don’t think we need an AC unit in the car.”

F1 drivers are used to pushing themselves to the limit, and given this Hamilton’s response makes a deal of sense. Hamilton’s workout program is the stuff of lore in the F1 world. While the seven-time champion enjoys lifting weights, added muscle means added weight, which is a negative in the F1 world. Hamilton balances his strength training with high-altitude cross-country skiing and Muay Thai. He also set up a residence in Mexico for morning Muay Thai sessions and afternoon surfing and Pilates. He also shifted to a vegan diet in 2018 to improve his energy level.

However, the FIA may view this as a safety issue more than anything else. Having drivers on the brink of passing out in the cockpit during the race is a dangerous scenario, and the last thing the sport wants to see is a multi-car accident set in motion by a driver who passed out due to heat exhaustion.