The Tickford driver’s cool suit failed on the warm-up lap of today’s 200-kilometre race, leaving him facing a gruelling afternoon of racing.
While revised driver welfare rules could have sidelined him for a faulty cool suit, the fact the ambient peaked at 32 degrees, below the 32.9 degrees required to enact the rules, left him facing a tough decision whether to press on, or give up.
He chose the former, battling his way to a gutsy 12th place finish.
It came at a physical toll, though, Randle so exhausted he was unable to stand or walk unaided after getting out of the car.
He was treated at the medical centre before being released to the team once fluids and temperature were stable.
“I knew something wasn’t right when we were getting ready to take off on the warm-up lap,” Randle told Speedcafe.
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“It just didn’t feel like it was pumping properly. And then as I went through the warm-up lap I saw water in the bottom of the passenger foot tray.
“The cool suit failed on the warm-up lap, so it was very challenging conditions. Seventy laps with no cool suit.
“My core temp felt really hot. I was really just trying to breathe, trying to get oxygen in.
“I ran out of water because I was trying to get as much water as I could. I ran the visor open to try and get air in.
“But yeah, your mind goes off from driving the car, technique-wise, like making sure you nail everything, to just trying to survive and get some points.
“If there’s one round you don’t want to have cool suit failure, especially on the warm-up lap, it’s this place.
“[At the end] I actually thought Cam [Waters] won the race. I said [on the radio] on the cool down lap, ‘congrats to Cam for the win’, but he’s actually finished second.”
Randle admitted there were times in the race he didn’t think he’d physically make the finish, although he said he was determined to battle through the pain.
“We did a lot of pre-cooling stuff with Brad Sampson, our physio beforehand, and I’ve done a lot of prep for this round,” he said.
“I’m just glad we did all that. I think that got me through.
“I just didn’t want to quit. I just wanted to not give up and finish.”
After braving it out to the end, Randle was rushed to the medical centre alongside Brodie Kostecki for treatment.
“I actually end up lying down in the garage [before going to the medical centre],” said Randle.
“[The medical staff] didn’t give me a drip, it was just about cooling me down. Taking fluids and checking blood oxygen and ice under the armpits and groin.
“I couldn’t stand up, I had to lay down for a long time.”
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