Drivers suffered within the warmth and humidity in Losail, with most saying afterwards that it was the toughest race of their careers.
Logan Sargeant was not in a position to end, whereas his Williams team-mate Alex Albon additionally sought medical therapy after the flag.
On the Monday after the race the FIA promised an investigation, noting of the drivers that “whereas being elite athletes, they shouldn’t be anticipated to compete underneath circumstances that would jeopardise their well being or security.”
Subsequent yr’s Qatar occasion is scheduled for December 1, which ought to alleviate the warmth subject.
Nevertheless, Alonso says that there ought to be an choice to run later within the day if vital.
“It was a shock, to be trustworthy, as a result of it was not that unhealthy in free follow,” he stated of Qatar race day. “Possibly it was windy or one thing and right now we missed that wind or one thing, that air flow.
“It was excessive. We have to see if sooner or later there’s any answer, and in some excessive circumstances we will agree on delaying the beginning or no matter.”
Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing leads at first
Photograph by: Pink Bull Content material Pool
Valtteri Bottas agreed that the 2021 Qatar GP, held in cooler circumstances in late November, was a lot much less excessive.
“Yeah, [there was a] massive distinction,” stated the Finn. “Even it is three levels. When it will get hotter within the automotive than your physique temperature, then that is not excellent news. Any hotter than this is able to be not secure anymore.”
Requested if there ought to be a ceiling for what’s acceptable he stated: “There ought to be. Due to course, each driver, we have tried to finish the race, and you are not going to cease if you happen to nonetheless can drive. However in some unspecified time in the future, it will get unhealthy and dangerous. I would not go hotter than this.”
Ferrari group principal Fred Vasseur agreed that the Qatar occasion was on the restrict, including that the game as a complete ought to “listen” to what occurred on race day.
“Effectively, I believe we’re near the restrict that when you may have drivers stopping as a result of they aren’t in a position to proceed,” he stated. “They’ve the lucidity to cease, however they might additionally crash. It signifies that we have now to concentrate.
“I believe we had been very near the restrict or over the restrict this weekend. However for the long run, I believe that subsequent yr, the race in Qatar is at the start of December, and it is an enormous distinction when it comes to temperature and humidity.
“However yeah, this weekend on prime of the temperature and humidity, it is also very difficult for the drivers with the succession of 16 corners. While you’re all the time in corners at very excessive pace it is very demanding.
“And I believe for them, it was actually excessive. I do not need to say if it is an excessive amount of or not, but it surely was actually excessive, most likely an excessive amount of. And we have now to concentrate to this.”
Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing
Photograph by: Pink Bull Content material Pool
Vasseur stated that the race would have been powerful on drivers even with out the mandated shorter stints obliging drivers to push more durable.
“On the paper, I believe it was nonetheless a one-stop race with none limitation,” he stated. “And for certain on this scenario, you’re pushing extra when you’re doing 4 stints or three stops.
“However I believe even if you happen to do one cease within the regular circumstances, it might have been powerful. On the finish, you noticed that nothing occurred, and it is good. Nevertheless it’s not fairly often that you’ve a driver not in a position to end a race.”
Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin agreed that circumstances for subsequent yr’s race ought to be extra acceptable.
“Essentially, when the air temperature is close to physique temperature round 36 levels you’ll be able to blow air on the driver, but it surely doesn’t have the identical cooling impact as when the air is a bit decrease,” he stated.
“The added humidity additionally makes it very troublesome for them. Now, what’s the actual answer to that? Subsequent yr the race strikes to December. That is a cooler a part of the yr and that is most likely the largest factor that we will do to assist.”