Aston Martin paradox: style over safety with cooling vests under black suits | F1 USA GP. Aston Martin drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will wear black race suits in Austin.

For years, Formula 1 has pursued multiple objectives, including on-track safety and, on a very different level, the search for new ways to make each event unique. Occasionally, these goals intersect unexpectedly.

This is the case at the 2025 United States Grand Prix, where F1 has reactivated the “heat hazard” regulation due to the expected Texan heat. With temperatures forecasted above 30 degrees, the FIA has mandated the use of cooling vests for all drivers.

The vest is a garment threaded with 48 meters of tubing carrying a coolant fluid. It is worn under the race suit to help reduce body heat during the race.

But how does driver safety intersect with the relentless quest for uniqueness at each Grand Prix? Often, for races held in the United States, almost all F1 teams unveil special liveries, accompanied by new colors for drivers’ suits that match the car’s design.

This time, the focus is on the suits made by Puma for Aston Martin Racing. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will wear almost entirely black new outfits. The choice works visually when paired with the AMR25 livery designed for the Circuit of the Americas. However, it is less ideal considering the forecasted 30+ degree temperatures and the relentless Texas sun during all track sessions.

It is well known that black is the least suitable color to wear under strong sunlight and high temperatures. In this case, aesthetics (and the temporary spectacle of the suit design) may have taken priority over driver safety.

Of course, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will wear cooling vests while on track. But drivers’ opinions on the actual effectiveness of these devices have been mixed. Gabriel Bortoleto offered an interesting insight: “I don’t know if the cooling vest had an effect – but everyone said it would be the hardest race of the year, and it didn’t seem that way. Still, it was tough. I used it for the first 10-15 laps, then the fluid gets quite warm, so it’s better to turn it off,” he explained after Singapore. This suggests that Alonso and Stroll may also face temperature challenges after a few laps during the race.

The main concern is not so much the effectiveness, which is proven, but the duration of its benefits. The cooling effect really lasts only a few laps. After that, conditions change. McLaren, for example, with the special Austin livery dedicated to Google Gemini, chose to outfit Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in fully white suits.

The cooling vest is an intelligent and functional innovation that improves driver conditions, and that should be acknowledged. However, sometimes teams should prioritize their drivers’ safety over style, merchandising, or an extra photograph for fans.