Last month Patrick Long walked us through the difference between a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup and a Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. Today, Patrick, along with CORE autosport teammate Tom Kimber-Smith, walk us through the various methods drivers use (both mechanical and physiological) to stay cool during a race where temperatures inside their Porsche are as much as 10 degrees more than the ambient outside temperature (so a 90 degree day could mean a cockpit of 100 degrees, if not more).
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View Comments (2)
I fully understand that an overheated driver is not an effective or competitive driver (been there, etc.)...but IMHO, this regulation is a solution in search of a problem. Teams are fully capable of keeping their drivers comfortable, and there are many aftermarket suppliers that can supply the necessary cooling technology. What next, a rule requiring on-board urinals and wash basins? "Endurance" applies to the human component as well as the automotive.
Speaking from experiencing both in a race car environment: given the choice between a cool head or a cool body, I'll take the cool body every time. A cool shirt/body does FAR more for keeping me comfortable than a helmet cooler does.
That said, some of the systems on the market blow cool air for a helmet cooler as well. You can also get cooling shirts with hoods that use cool water to keep your head cool.