This weekend's Singapore Grand Prix has declared an official Formula One "Heat Hazard" – the first time a new rule to help drivers stay cool has been invoked.
Race director Rui Marques issued a statement on Thursday afternoon notifying the teams of the regulation, which means drivers will be able to wear cooling vests, because ambient temperatures are expected to be 31° Celsius or higher.
"Having received a forecast from the official Weather Service predicting that the Heat Index will be greater than 31C at some time during the race ... a Heat Hazard is declared," Marques said.
Singapore's bumpy Marina Bay Street Circuit is one of the most physically demanding F1 races, where extremes of heat, humidity and weather all play a part.
Drivers can shed up to 3kgs during the night race that often lasts the maximum two-hour race limit.
George Russell trialled the cooling vest, which is worn under the driver's fireproof suit, at this year's Bahrain Grand Prix.
"Not everybody finds the top comfortable, but I think some find it more comfortable than others, and of course, over time you'll be able to adjust it to your own preferences," Russell told reporters in Singapore.
"But the concept is good, and when you're racing in 90 per cent humidity and the cockpits are getting on for 60°C, it's a bit of a sauna inside the car, so I think we all welcome it."
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton said: "I've never used it, but I'll try it."
'It's a trade-off'
The vests have coolant tubes connected to pumps and a heat exchanger, which some drivers find very uncomfortable in an already cramped cockpit.
As a result, the governing body FIA said that wearing the vests will not be mandatory, but if drivers or teams opt out of using them, their cars must still be fitted with the equipment to make the vests work.
Drivers not wearing the vests will have to carry an extra 0.5kg of ballast so they do not gain an advantage over those that do.
Every kilogramme of weight saved can equate to a tenth of a second off lap times, something that can be a big advantage.
The cooling vest system was developed after the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, where several drivers needed medical attention after suffering in the heat.
Williams driver Carlos Sainz welcomed the decision, saying he didn't mind heat, if there was no humidity, but the combination of the two in tropical Singapore was a big problem.
"In Hungary where it gets really hot but it's not humid it's not too bad," Sainz told BBC Sport.
"But when it's 28°C, 30°C degrees plus humid, that is when it gets to Singapore levels and it's tough."
Piastri has put Azerbaijan behind him
Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri said he had quickly moved on from his calamitous weekend in Azerbaijan and was focusing more on what brought him the success he had enjoyed in the season up to that point.
The McLaren driver brought an end to a run of 34 races in the points when he crashed both in qualifying and the race in Baku two weeks ago with the result that his lead over teammate Lando Norris in the drivers' standings was cut to 25 points.
Piastri said that because his mistakes were so blindingly obvious, the lessons were easy to take on board and he was able to prepare for this weekend's race in Singapore as normal.
"Obviously, it looks quite dramatic because they're all on the same weekend," the Australian told reporters on Thursday.
Max Verstappen celebrates with his Red Bull teammates after winning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku City Circuit on September 21, 2025. Getty Images Race winner Max Verstappen celebrates on the podium after winning in Baku. Getty Images Red Bull's Max Verstappen crosses the finish line to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. AFP Williams driver Carlos Sainz celebrates with his team after finishing third. AP McLaren's Oscar Piastri and climbs out of his damaged car after crashing out on Lap 1. Getty Images Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished 14 seconds ahead of second-placed George Russell in Baku. AP Title-race leader Oscar Piastri looks on after crashing out on Lap 1 in Baku. Getty Images Ferrari's Charles Leclerc ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton. AFP Ferrari's Charles Leclerc leads Lando Norris of McLaren at Baku City Circuit. Getty Images Marshals clear away the car of Oscar Piastri following his crash as his McLaren teammate Lando Norris passes by. Getty Images Red Bull's Max Verstappen leads the field going into Turn 1 at the start during the race. Getty Images
"Yes, the consequences were bigger and more dramatic, but the kind of process of looking through things has been the same as every weekend.
"There's nothing revolutionary that I think needs to change, or that I am going to change. I think for 16, for 17 weekends, what I've been doing has worked very well.
"And I think if I make sure I stay focused on the things that have gone well, then it will continue to go that way."
World champion Max Verstappen won his second straight race in Baku and now stands 69 points behind Piastri with seven races left in the season.
Hamilton 'overwhelmed' by support
Lewis Hamilton has described Roscoe as the “most important thing of my life” after admitting to being “overwhelmed” by messages of condolences following his dog’s death.
Hamilton’s bulldog, who he adopted in 2013 and has appeared at a number of races with during his Formula One career – most recently the British Grand Prix on July 6 – died last Sunday after contracting pneumonia.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s race in Singapore, Hamilton, 40, said he had been greatly moved by the outpouring of support from his fellow drivers and teams.
“It was quite overwhelming to see how many people got in touch and it was so heartwarming to receive those messages,” said Hamilton.
“I have not been able to reply to everybody. But, yeah, he [Roscoe] was the most important thing of my life so a very difficult experience.
“I know so many people in the world that have gone through it, and I know what it is like to have a pet that gives you such amazing love.
“I am really just looking forward to getting back in the car and doing what I love doing here.”
It is understood that Hamilton is not due to carry any tribute to Roscoe on his Ferrari car or helmet in Singapore.
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The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz S 450 Price, base / as tested Dh525,000 / Dh559,000 Engine: 3.0L V6 biturbo Transmission: Nine-speed automatic Power: 369hp at 5,500rpm Torque: 500Nm at 1,800rpm Fuel economy, combined: 8.0L / 100km
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Will the pound fall to parity with the dollar? The idea of pound parity now seems less far-fetched as the risk grows that Britain may split away from the European Union without a deal. Rupert Harrison, a fund manager at BlackRock, sees the risk of it falling to trade level with the dollar on a no-deal Brexit. The view echoes Morgan Stanley’s recent forecast that the currency can plunge toward $1 (Dh3.67) on such an outcome. That isn’t the majority view yet – a Bloomberg survey this month estimated the pound will slide to $1.10 should the UK exit the bloc without an agreement. New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the EU on the October 31 deadline with or without an agreement, fuelling concern the nation is headed for a disorderly departure and fanning pessimism toward the pound. Sterling has fallen more than 7 per cent in the past three months, the worst performance among major developed-market currencies. “The pound is at a much lower level now but I still think a no-deal exit would lead to significant volatility and we could be testing parity on a really bad outcome,” said Mr Harrison, who manages more than $10 billion in assets at BlackRock. “We will see this game of chicken continue through August and that’s likely negative for sterling,” he said about the deadlocked Brexit talks. The pound fell 0.8 per cent to $1.2033 on Friday, its weakest closing level since the 1980s, after a report on the second quarter showed the UK economy shrank for the first time in six years. The data means it is likely the Bank of England will cut interest rates, according to Mizuho Bank. The BOE said in November that the currency could fall even below $1 in an analysis on possible worst-case Brexit scenarios. Options-based calculations showed around a 6.4 per cent chance of pound-dollar parity in the next one year, markedly higher than 0.2 per cent in early March when prospects of a no-deal outcome were seemingly off the table. Bloomberg
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Results 5pm: Wadi Nagab – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Al Falaq, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer) 5.30pm: Wadi Sidr – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel 6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Fakhama, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash 6.30pm: Wadi Shees – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Mutaqadim, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami 7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 – Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Bahar Muscat, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami 7.30pm: Wadi Tayyibah – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Poster Paint, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
Non-oil%20trade %3Cp%3ENon-oil%20trade%20between%20the%20UAE%20and%20Japan%20grew%20by%2034%20per%20cent%20over%20the%20past%20two%20years%2C%20according%20to%20data%20from%20the%20Federal%20Competitiveness%20and%20Statistics%20Centre.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIn%2010%20years%2C%20it%20has%20reached%20a%20total%20of%20Dh524.4%20billion.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ECars%20topped%20the%20list%20of%20the%20top%20five%20commodities%20re-exported%20to%20Japan%20in%202022%2C%20with%20a%20value%20of%20Dh1.3%20billion.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EJewellery%20and%20ornaments%20amounted%20to%20Dh150%20million%20while%20precious%20metal%20scraps%20amounted%20to%20Dh105%20million.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERaw%20aluminium%20was%20ranked%20first%20among%20the%20top%20five%20commodities%20exported%20to%20Japan.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETop%20of%20the%20list%20of%20commodities%20imported%20from%20Japan%20in%202022%20was%20cars%2C%20with%20a%20value%20of%20Dh20.08%20billion.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More from Colin Randall Bataclan murderer's father and victim's dad form unlikely bond to write revealing book on grief
Bharat Director: Ali Abbas Zafar Starring: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
UAE SQUAD Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Ahmed Raza, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Chirag Suri , Zahoor Khan
Normal People Sally Rooney, Faber & Faber
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Evacuations to France hit by controversy Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
What the law says Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East. “Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains. “Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.” If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
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Notable groups (UAE time) Jordan Spieth, Si Woo Kim, Henrik Stenson (12.47pm) Justin Thomas, Justin Rose, Louis Oosthuizen (12.58pm) Hideki Matsuyama, Brooks Koepka, Tommy Fleetwood (1.09pm) Sergio Garcia, Jason Day, Zach Johnson (4.04pm) Rickie Fowler, Paul Casey, Adam Scott (4.26pm) Dustin Johnson, Charl Schwartzel, Rory McIlroy (5.48pm)
[SRC] https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/f1/2025/10/03/f1-declares-first-heat-hazard-as-singapore-grand-prix-set-for-gruelling-test/
