Haas driver Esteban Ocon has declared he won't don Formula 1's new 'cooling vest' even during the scorching races of 2025.
The FIA initially pushed to mandate the technology this year to safeguard driver health, but after team feedback, it's optional in 2025 as the system is further developed.
Ocon, however, is opting out entirely.
"You have tubes everywhere, which is fine," the tall Frenchman told reporters in Bahrain. "On the back too, which is also fine. But there's like a huge tennis ball on your hip. If you have it here on the chest, it hurts because of the belts. And if you do it on the back, you don't fit in your seat anymore."
"At the moment it doesn't work," Ocon continued, noting peers share his woes. "Other drivers are also having a similar experience. It's good that they found a solution and came up with something, but at the moment neither me nor Ollie (Bearman) can use it. It's too big. You know how tight the seat is in Formula 1."
Drivers skipping the vest in extreme heat this year will reportedly face a 500-gram ballast penalty. The FIA plans to enforce its use from 2026.
"It's not really necessary," Ocon admitted. "Maybe sometimes, yes. I don't know if there is any discussion about it, but I assume that nobody is in a position to use it at the moment. It's not that I'm a diva and don't want to—quite the opposite. It just doesn't fit."
