P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Kimi Antonelli encountered “a few physical issues” before being bumped out of sprint qualifying by Lewis Hamilton.
Kimi Antonelli faced a surprise failure of F1’s new cooling vest during sprint qualifying at the United States Grand Prix, causing discomfort and impacting his performance.
The extreme temperatures at the Circuit of the Americas prompted the FIA to label the event a heat hazard, with temperatures reaching 33°C at the start of the session.
While the cooling vest is currently optional for drivers this season, it will become mandatory for the next season, sparking controversy among the drivers regarding the freedom to choose.
Despite wearing the malfunctioning cooling vest, Antonelli narrowly missed out on advancing to SQ3 by six thousandths of a second, leading to his elimination from the session.
Reflecting on his performance, Antonelli expressed disappointment at the missed opportunity but remains focused on addressing the locking issues that impeded his progress in the qualifying session.
