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Wurz stands up for F1 drivers: 'That's too easy to say'
It was one of the much-discussed topics at the coffee machine on Monday morning. The unprecedented conditions in which the Qatar Grand Prix was held. Almost everyone had a tough time, with some drivers even calling the race the "toughest race of anyone's career". Alex Wurz, who is with the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), explains his findings.
Wurz after the Qatar Grand Prix: "It's too easy to say: 'Here is a gym membership - get on with it'. Cooling seats, for example, work very well and are not too difficult to produce and install. That is something every team should already be looking at," Wurz told BBC Sport.
Wurz sees problems in F1 car
Fernando Alonso, for example, suffered hugely from a hot seat. Wurz sees where the problem comes from in the car. "There needs to be better insulation and/or air cooling for very hot electrical boxes, which are often sited near the drivers' seat," says the Austrian. "The entire rules set has tests and limits for many parts of the car. Given the driver is one of the performance parts of the equation, perhaps it is time to look at defining limits to the heat they are subjected to," Wurz concludes.
The FIA itself also reacted to the conditions in which the drivers raced their Grand Prix. The organisation already told that athletes should not be expected to have their health compromised in any way.