This weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix, taking place in Malaysia, has been declared a heat-hazard race. This marks the third time this year such a designation has been used for an event.
A heat hazard is an official status applied when temperatures are forecast to be above 31C at some point during a race. Temperatures are expected to be between 31-33C across the race weekend at the Sepang track, near Kuala Lumpur, with high humidity and a chance of rain daily.
The event is being held in Malaysia after the original Bahrain race in April was postponed due to the war in the Middle East. Bahrain-related activities are planned for the weekend to highlight the Gulf kingdom's involvement.
The heat-hazard ruling allows drivers to use an in-car system that circulates cooled liquid through pipes in a fireproof top worn under their overalls. This cooling kit is not compulsory, but drivers who opt not to use it must carry 5kg of ballast in their car to prevent a competitive advantage.
The Austrian and Italian Grands Prix were also declared heat hazards this year. The designation was first introduced last year following the development of the cooling vest technology.