BETTER PARTSF1 drivers vomit and pass out at the wheel during the 2023 Qatar GP
For some drivers it was the toughest race of their careers physically
After his fourteenth victory this year, Max Verstappen was asked whether the 2023 Qatar GP was the physically toughest race he has ever had. "He is certainly in the top five," Verstappen responds with a laugh. Other drivers were less cheerful after the race in Doha. The heat and humidity in the Middle East caused Lance Stroll to faint at the wheel and Esteban Ocon to vomit.
A video is circulating on the internet of the moment when Stroll tries to climb out of the car after the race. The images of the clearly upset driver can be found below. In the post-race interviews, Stroll indicates that he fainted in the car. While driving. We sometimes joke about Stroll, but we can only respect the fact that he finished the race.
Vomiting and overheating
Other drivers also did not feel comfortable in the car. Esteban Ocon says after the race: 'It looks like there's fire in the cockpit. "I was clearly not feeling well, on lap 15 or 16 I was throwing up in the car, but luckily I was able to calm down afterwards." So Ocon completed the remaining 41 or 42 laps with part of his dinner on his lap.
Both Williams drivers were also in bad shape after the race. Logan Sargeant felt so bad that he came inside to quit during the race. He was then taken to the medical staff. The driver is now doing well, but during the race he suffered from extreme dehydration. Albon was also checked by doctors because he suffered from overheating.
Oscar Piastri has the best summary for the GP weekend where F1 drivers fainted and vomited while driving: 'Luckily we will drive later in the year next year'. According to the 2024 F1 calendar, the drivers will drive the Qatar GP on December 1 next year. Hopefully it will have cooled down a bit by then. Otherwise we have a better solution: no more racing in Qatar.
Lance Stroll is seriously unwell after the finish of #QatarGP pic.twitter.com/LILYl11zW4
— Aston Martin F1 updates (@startonpole) October 8, 2023