During the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, drivers faced extremely tough conditions. High temperatures, high humidity, and intense g-forces made it difficult to keep up with the physical demands of the race.

Lance Stroll even lost consciousness while driving, and Esteban Ocon reported feeling sick inside his helmet. These health scares made it clear that changes were needed to protect the drivers.

To prevent a repeat of these issues, the F1 Commission, made up of team bosses, FIA single-seat chief Nikolas Tombazis and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, has agreed to introduce a "driver cooling kit" starting in the 2025 season.

This system will help keep drivers cool in extreme heat conditions. It will only be used when the FIA determines there is a heat hazard, and the cars' weight will be adjusted to account for the extra equipment.

The new kit follows encouraging test results and is part of a broader effort to improve driver safety in the heat, especially during tough races like Qatar, where the F1 circus is heading right after the Las Vegas Grand Prix. However, this year, drivers will still need to manage the heat on their own, as the system won't be introduced until next season.

READ MORE: Qatar vs. Singapore Grand Prix: Which Is the Toughest Race on the F1 Calendar?

The Commission also agreed to change the rules for closing the grid when some cars fail to make it to the start of the race.

This came up at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, when Alex Albon from Williams couldn’t start after a big crash in qualifying as his team couldn’t fix the car in time because of the tight schedule.

Even though his car was withdrawn before the race, the grid had already been set, so his seventh-place spot remained empty, similarly as Lance Stroll’s one after he ended up in the gravel during the formation lap and wasn’t able to get out.