All the other Paddock pilots see them, more than ever, arriving from afar with their silver and swollen jacket. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli from the Mercedes-Amg-Petronas stable have since the start of the Formula 1 season a new Adidas equipment manufacturer with amazing thermal properties.
“Mercedes asked us to respond to the challenge of thermal management of their pilots confronted at extreme temperatures during races in hot countries as in the cockpit where the temperature easily reaches 40 to 50 ° C,” explains Margherita Raccuglia, director of athletic performance at Adidas.
On the F1 circuits, stages like the Bahrain Grand Prix this Sunday, April 13 or that of Saudi Arabia put the organizations to the test. “They sometimes lose up to 4 liters of water per race and this affects their analytical skills, concentration and communication with the team,” she said.
Fans amplify the cold
The brand’s German engineers therefore worked on a Climacool System insulating jacket which amplifies the refrigerant technology of the Dutch innovative company Inuteq. Inside, a patented system of frozen packs acts on the body as a refresh of wine bottles.
The insulating materials of the jacket keep this cold – from 6.5 to 21 ° C – as close as possible to the pilot. “The garment also has two small fans on the sides which create a layer of insulation which lasts in time, it is like being in a bubble of freshness,” explains Margherita Raccuglia.
No need to go through a time -in -time ice bath to lower the body temperature just before starting the race. The jacket swollen with cold air is worn for twenty minutes after the first warm -up turns and when the pilots analyze their first performance on video.
Each pilot has two for the season. Sufficient to make the difference at the wheel? “This gives them the maximum refreshment in minimum time and the first feedback in situation indicates an increase in their endurance,” says the manager.
What about the general public? The brand with three bands accounts first to extend its climacool technology to other sports, notably in the perspective of the summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028 where athletes will face potential extreme temperatures. “We will then have to find a way to produce these jackets on a large scale for our consumers,” it’s time at Adidas.