F1 News: Martin Brundle Defends Extreme Weather Races Amidst Escalating Safety Debates

Martin Brundle isn't soft on the drivers.

Former Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle shared his opinion on extreme heat racing on social media, stating that he didn't buy into the "weak view" of not putting the drivers through this kind of challenge in the future, as they faced during the Qatar Grand Prix.

Sunday's race saw several drivers being affected by Qatar's extreme heat quite badly, thus raising questions on the subject of driver safety. Williams driver Logan Sargeant even retired mid-race after his ordeal became unbearable. 

With the mercury hitting 34 degrees Celsius, drivers in their helmets and their gear felt way hotter than it actually was. The effects of dehydration and exhaustion could be clearly visible. Post-race, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri had to lie down on the floor in the cooldown room because they were so drained out.

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Despite the consequences of Qatar's unforgiving heat, Brundle thinks this is just another part of the world of F1 racing. According to him, persevering through the challenges is what makes the driver an F1 hero. Tweeting his view on X, he wrote:

"It’s races like Qatar and very rainy days which make F1 drivers look the heroes and athletes they are.

"Absolutely don’t buy into the weak view we shouldn’t put them through this kind of challenge.

"Check out Senna in Brazil, Stewart at rainy Nurburgring, Lauda post crash, etc etc"

It’s races like Qatar and very rainy days which make F1 drivers look the heroes and athletes they are. Absolutely don’t buy into the weak view we shouldn’t put them through this kind of challenge. Check out Senna in Brazil, Stewart at rainy Nurburgring, Lauda post crash, etc etc

— Martin Brundle (@MBrundleF1) October 9, 2023

But, if you look at it from a health and safety point of view, it wasn't just one or two drivers who were affected by the heat. In addition to the names mentioned above, Esteban Ocon revealed that he was sick mid-race inside his helmet and Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso stated that he suffered a 'semi burn' on his right hand because of the high temperature. 

F1 News: Scary Footage Released Of Lance Stroll Fainting During Qatar Grand Prix

However, Brundle does have a point that the best of the drivers often prove to remain unbeatable under extreme circumstances. But, their wellbeing must also be considered to prevent consequences getting out of hand.

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