The intervention of the FIA for security reasons, to try to eradicate the porpoising of the cars, triggered a great controversy during the weekend of the Canadian Grand Prix.
Many F1 teams were upset at how late it was announced (on the Thursday before the event), and there was confusion over whether the new rebound limits should be in place as early as that weekend in Montreal .
Furthermore, as the FIA only issued a technical directive, rather than formally changing the rules, it led to talk of an outcry if Mercedes went ahead and raced with the changes it had made in reaction to the FIA’s announcement.
The clash of opinions in the F1 paddock on this matter came to a head at a meeting between team principals on Saturday, when Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff was infuriated by what he considered “regrettable” behaviour. of his classmates.
With no consensus reached between the teams in Montreal, the FIA will try to move forward and its single-seater technical director, Nikolas Tombazis , will meet with F1 technical directors later this week.
It is hoped that meeting when things have calmed down, in a week without a race, will allow a calmer posture to try to row everyone in the same direction.
Topics of discussion at the meeting are likely to include analysis of the data the FIA collected on vertical oscillations over the weekend at Circuit Gilles Villeuenve, and whether or not it is feasible to try to impose limits at some point. in the future.
Mercedes W13 Floor Comparison
The FIA also wants to give teams information about possible changes to the technical regulations for 2023 that could give them more room to cure long-term porpoising issues.
These could include aerodynamic changes, changes to suspension systems, or even re-allowing tools like the mass-damper .
After a tense weekend over the porpoising issue, Wolff felt it was important that teams take the matter very seriously.
Asked by Motorsport.com if he was confident politics could be set aside at this week’s meeting, Wolff said: “I think the political maneuvering that has been going on doesn’t take into account what is at the core of this matter”.
“The core of this issue is that since the start of the season drivers have been complaining about the pain of driving these cars: back pain, blurred vision, we’re talking about micro-concussions and people talking about it on, literally every team.
“That’s something that we have to address: whatever the solution is and you have to technically implement whatever you can to go in that direction.”
“We have to be aware that it’s not about cutting a wing that gives a team an advantage, or removing a double diffuser. It’s about all team managers and teams having a responsibility not to take this lightly. light”.
