F1 allows all 22 drivers to make last-minute Austrian GP change that Max Verstappen doesn’t like

The FIA will allow all 22 drivers to make a change ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, and Max Verstappen may not be best pleased.

Due to forecasts predicting temperatures of more than 31 degrees Celsius in Spielberg, Austria, the threshold has been met for the FIA to declare a heat hazard.

Earlier this week, the FIA confirmed to SPORTbible that a decision would be made by Thursday morning (June 25), with the sport's governing body ruling that drivers can use a mandated cooling kit made up of cooled liquid flowing through a pipe system beneath their fireproof race overalls.

While its use is advised, drivers have the option of not wearing the kit, with many previously claiming it is uncomfortable.

If they decide against wearing the kit, their cars must carry a 0.5kg ballast to ensure they do not gain an advantage.

Article 26.19 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations states: "Any driver may elect not to wear any items of personal equipment that form part of the Driver Cooling System.

"In such circumstance, all other components, including any cooling medium, of the Driver Cooling System must be fitted.

"In addition, the difference in mass between the driver's personal equipment normally used and any items of a driver's personal equipment that form part of the system must be compensated by the fitting of 0.5kg of ballast in the cockpit."

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Heat hazards were first introduced in 2025 before subsequently being declared at the Singapore and United States Grands Prix. However, they have never previously been declared ahead of a European race weekend.

Cockpit temperatures are expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius, while the FIA told SPORTbible that the heat will also impact the cars.

The sport's governing body explained: "High temperatures have a massive impact on the cars, most notably on the engine, tyre degradation and a lot of other factors, which the teams need to adapt to."

What has Max Verstappen said about cooling vests?

While some drivers will likely wear the cooling vests, it is unlikely that Red Bull's Verstappen will, given his previous comments.

Speaking in 2025, he said: "I haven't used the vest.

"I'm also not intending to use it because I feel like this needs to be the driver's choice.

"From the FIA side, they will always throw it on safety. But then we can talk about a lot of stuff that can be improved on safety, including pit entries in certain places. I think that has a bit more priority than a vest in the car.

"I don't like it. I don't like the tubes that are on you and your body with the belts that go next to you. Then they can say it's a bad design. I disagree. It just needs to be an option for the drivers to choose.

"Some like it, some don't. And that's fine. It should be a personal preference. I know, of course, this year we can choose. But probably next year they won't want to do that. And that is not the right thing.

"The problem also is that in a GT car or any other car, prototype, you have a bit more space to put stuff, or at least cables.

"In our cockpits, it's so narrow that there is no space, or at least not enough space. And that is also a little bit of a problem, I find.

"Plus, where are you going to put the dry ice? The cars are not really designed to have this extra kind of space. And within 15 or 20 laps, it's gone anyway. Then you have hot water running through the system."