Magnussen and Kvyat had a close call in Singapore
If Kevin Magnussen left the Singapore F1 Grand Prix with a point, it was not without difficulty. The Dane felt his cockpit heat up more and more during the race, greatly discomforting him, especially since he couldn't drink, just like Daniil Kvyat.
While the Singapore race is known for being the most physically demanding for drivers due to its nearly two-hour duration and its climate, hydration is an essential element for these twenty-two men. A Formula 1 driver already loses a considerable amount of weight under normal conditions due to sweating, so they are required to rehydrate using a water bottle installed in their car. However, two drivers experienced difficulties related to the heat during this Grand Prix.
From the start of the race, Daniil Kvyat, starting from the tenth position, was deprived of a drink. With the race reaching the two-hour limit imposed by the regulations, the Toro Rosso young driver’s handicap was significant. This made the race even more difficult.
Kevin Magnussen, for his part, was seen multiple times with his arms out of the cockpit of his car: indeed, the driver had no other solution to cool down a bit in a seat that was inexorably heating up during the race. While the telemetry does not provide information on the origin of the problem, the team is now conducting an investigation to determine the cause. « It’s strange because, according to the telemetry, everything was normal. »
And the Dane, in addition to feeling the heat from his seat, couldn’t drink properly either: the fault of a water bottle lodged in the single-seater, which was also heating up the liquid. One of the major problems was that the water in his bottle was boiling – it burned his mouth every time he drank. Many rumors and newspapers spoke of burns for the McLaren driver, which Kevin Magnussen was quick to deny in a tweet:
BTW some newspapers say I had burns and had medical treatment for it. That’s a bit exaggerated, I was just hot and sweaty!:) #notdead
— Kevin Magnussen (@KevinMagnussen) 21 Septembre 2014
« By the way, some newspapers said that I had burns and medical treatment to follow. That’s a bit exaggerated, I was just hot and sweating a lot. »
Let’s hope for these drivers that the problems do not recur, even if the particular conditions in Singapore should not face competition in the last Grand Prix of the year.
