In the wake of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the FIA has announced plans to control the phenomenon of porpoising that has become a theme in the 2022 season, issuing technical instructions to teams to guide them about the measures they intend to tackle. keep. issue.
After consultation with their doctors, the FIA stated that they felt compelled to react because, according to the governing body itself, “in a sport where competitors are regularly driving at speeds in excess of 300 km/h, It is recognized that all A driver’s concentration is required to be focused on that task, and that the extreme fatigue or pain experienced by the driver may have significant consequences, resulting in loss of concentration”. .
The FIA said they also had concerns regarding the “immediate physical impact on the health of drivers, many of whom have reported back pain following recent incidents”.
According to the FIA, short-term measures will include a closer examination of the planks and skids under the cars, both in terms of their design and their observed wear. They will also define a metric – the exact mathematical formula that is still being analysed, and to which F1 teams have been asked to contribute – to define a threshold for “acceptable levels of vertical oscillations”.
Pushed our drivers too far: Mercedes
The Formula One team’s strategy chief said on Wednesday that Mercedes pushed Lewis Hamilton’s car installation in Azerbaijan last weekend too far and he may not be in such pain again.
Britain’s seven-time world champion has been battling a severe back pain from his jumping car in Baku, saying it has been his most painful race.
Team boss Toto Wolff expressed some concern about Hamilton being able to race in Canada this weekend, but strategy boss James Wowells confirmed in a debate the driver would compete in Montreal.
“He is an elite athlete who will push the limits of himself and the car’s endurance and that’s what Formula One drivers do, that’s what makes him exceptional,” said Voles.
“On occasion though, we pushed the package and our drivers too far, we’re getting them into a lot of trouble and we can’t do that again.
“It’s our responsibility now to make sure it doesn’t escalate,” he said, adding that other drivers were also being harmed.
Hamilton finished fourth in Baku, while Russell finished third after both Ferrari drivers retired.
Formula One introduced a major rule improvement this season and the changes have caused the cars to ‘porpoise’ – leaping straight up and down as aerodynamic ground effect is suddenly gained and lost.
Voles explained that there was a difference between porpoising, bouncing and bottoming.
“I believe we have taken a step forward in terms of porpoising, but we are bouncing very clearly and from the outside it looks almost the same, but there is a subtle difference between the two,” he declared.
Voules said that progress in resolving porpoising at the Spanish Grand Prix had allowed the team to drop the ride height and drive the car down to the ground – which revealed another problem.
The car was now “hitting the decks” bouncing into Baku with the bottoming apparently hard enough.
Wallace said Montreal was not going to be much different.
“I think we will still have a package that is not at the forefront of qualification,” he said. “Red Bull and Ferrari will still be benchmarks to which we have to compare ourselves.
“However, I think the big difference you saw in qualifying in Baku probably won’t be that big in Montreal.”
(with inputs from agencies)
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