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It’s forecast to be a brutally hot weekend in Melbourne for the Louis Vuitton Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. However, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli will be icy cool because adidas has brought a very special jacket to the race. It might look like a spaceman suit, but the CLIMACOOL System is a technical marvel comprised of an insulated Jacket and a specially created Cooling Vest to maintain drivers’ optimum temperature through the short 20-minute window after preparation and ahead of the race beginning.
The “System” as it’s referred to, has been lab-tested, and adidas says that when the Jacket is worn in combination with a specially created Cooling Vest alongside industry leaders INUTEQ, it can double the impact of wearing only a cooling or ice vest on skin and core temperature. This is important because reduction in core and skin temperate can result in better performance in cognitive tasks as well as improved decision making by up to 25%, according to the NIH.
Rookie driver, Kimi Antonelli, tested the suit in the adidas Innovation Lab before both Kimi and George Russell took the opportunity to wear it during the pre-season testing in Bahrain. It will be used through hot and humid races like Melbourne, and situations where the potential performance benefit can be realised.
“When we returned to motorsport we wanted to see how we could bring true performance benefits to the teams. Our CLIMACOOL System is the first example of how we will bring innovation into the sport. We are challenging ourselves to deliver more impact, at greater speed, and products tuned to the specific needs of more sports. We will create the very best for the drivers,” said Alasdhair Willis, Chief Creative Officer of adidas.
The Melbourne forecast is showing temperatures of 34-plus degrees during the race weekend, and you can imagine how hot this must be behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car. In fact, adidas says that drivers can experience temperatures in their car reach 55-60 degrees, resulting in up to 4.2kg of sweat loss.
“Heat management is a key topic in F1. In hot races it is important to try and maintain a consistent and optimized core body temperature when in the car. When I first tried the adidas CLIMACOOL System I knew it would be something I’d want to include in my race day package. The challenging conditions bring an extra element to racing and I’m confident this will help improve my performance,” said George Russell, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team Driver.
Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team Driver followed up on George’s statement, “In very hot and humid races mitigating the rise in body temperature is important for performing at our best in the car. When I got to test the adidas CLIMACOOL System I was really impressed with the impact I felt. It’s clear there is a benefit for us as drivers and I’m looking forward to experiencing that during the season.”
The adidas CLIMACOOL System will be used exclusively by drivers, and won’t be sold to customers, but it marks the exciting reintroduction of CLIMACOOL, an innovation that was first launched in 2002. We saw the brand’s CLIMACOOL sneakers release last year, and they’re doubling down in 2025 with more products being designed for athletes, including solutions for elite athletes at the top of their game.
