Within the first a part of an interview for f1ingenerale, Chillout Motorsport, represented by Charles Kline, defined the historical past of the model. Among the many varied anecdotes and product particulars, the preliminary suggestions from drivers who examined the brand new system was additionally revealed. Amongst them was Charles Leclerc, who expressed nice satisfaction with the brand new cooling package in his remarks.
The brand new package will debut within the 2025 season and represents a big step ahead for driver well being and security. It can assist drivers keep away from experiences like these in Qatar 2023, the place the mixture of humidity and temperature posed important challenges. With the introduction of the brand new 2026 F1 automobiles, additional modifications are anticipated, together with higher integration of the package with the automobile.
Are you able to describe how this method works? Is it built-in with the automobile or related to the driving force’s swimsuit?
Presently, the system is standalone, with its personal battery. It’s considerably heavy, weighing about 2.4 kg. It’s mounted contained in the automobile and operates independently, positioned behind the pedals in some automobiles and on the edges of the chassis in others. This setup is actually a retrofit, an adaptation. We’ll see what occurs in 2026, though it might be difficult. Since it’s separate from the automobile, there are not any controls other than a button. In the meanwhile, it’s merely an on/off system. Temperatures are pre-set and programmed for the driving force’s consolation, tailor-made to every particular person. By 2026, we hope to combine it with the automobile, maybe by rising the dimensions of the alternator to remove the battery and the related weight.
We’ve seen that Charles Leclerc was among the many first drivers to check it. What was his impression?
I imagine we addressed all the problems he didn’t like, from seat configuration to belt positioning. We additionally adjusted the format of the “tubes” barely based mostly on his suggestions. We wished to make sure there have been no strain factors the place tubes may overlap. We paid additional consideration to particulars on parts that wouldn’t usually pose issues. However sure, the suggestions I obtained from him, conveyed by way of some Ferrari personnel, was constructive. They informed me he would have preferred to make use of the system in each race. He doesn’t assume it’s essential just for sizzling races however believes it must be utilized in each race. He significantly appreciated the added consolation and power it gives.
Some drivers imagine it might give a aggressive edge to others who could also be extra heat-tolerant. I received’t title names, however it’s straightforward to guess who. That stated, nearly all of suggestions on the system has been overwhelmingly constructive—not simply from us or the groups, but additionally from the drivers. Nonetheless, I believe they received’t find yourself utilizing the system in each race. Presently, we don’t know if it will likely be categorized as a security machine. However I imagine that if we will show that it reduces errors and helps drivers carry out higher, drive sooner, and extra safely, its worth will develop into evident.
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