Hamilton: "I've had enough of my jaw bouncing"

If Mercedes will never forget something from the 2022 F1 season, it is the word porpoising , that effect of porpoise or rocking of the cars on the straights. Almost all the teams accused him since the preseason started and the new ground effect cars were released, although most managed to minimize the problem.

For Mercedes, porpoising became a real headache, and they always maintained that their car was very competitive and that they would prove it when they managed to dodge that rebound.

With the improvements introduced at the Spanish GP, the W13 seemed to take a step forward and to have partially suppressed the porpoising , but in Monaco the nightmare returned.

George Russell qualified sixth and finished fifth, but Hamilton could only qualify eighth and failed to gain any position in the race after a strong defense from Fernando Alonso. Precisely the Englishman regretted the rocking, and facing the next grand prix, which takes place in another urban circuit, that of Baku, he wants something different.

“I pray the car doesn’t feel like it does here,” he replied when asked what to take from the Monaco GP for the next round. “It was worse here than ever before with this car, because of the bumps. I can’t wait to put it behind me. My teeth and jaw were moving all the time, I’m done with the rebound.”

However, Lewis Hamilton is also not clear that it is due to porpoising , and hopes that it was the nature of the Monte Carlo circuit that contributed to the discomfort behind the wheel: “I don’t know if it is porpoising . Hopefully that is not what we had in the last race. So I hope obviously it won’t be a problem in Baku. But the thing is if there are potholes, then in the corners we could have problems.”

Lewis Hamilton’s car, Mercedes W13

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Esteban Ocon, Alpine A522, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13

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Lando Norris, McLaren MCL36, Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13

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Lando Norris, McLaren MCL36, Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13, in parallel with Esteban Ocon, Alpine A522

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13, Esteban Ocon, Alpine A522, Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo C42

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG, on the grid with his engineer

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13, battles Esteban Ocon, Alpine A522

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13, battles Esteban Ocon, Alpine A522

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13, Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin AMR22

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Esteban Ocon, Alpine A522, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13

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Esteban Ocon, Alpine A522, battles Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13

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Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13, Esteban Ocon, Alpine A522

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13, Esteban Ocon, Alpine A522, Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo C42

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13, makes contact with Esteban Ocon, Alpine A522

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13, makes contact with Esteban Ocon, Alpine A522

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13, battles Esteban Ocon, Alpine A522

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13, sale de su box

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Esteban Ocon, Alpine A522, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13

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Esteban Ocon, Alpine A522, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13

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George Russell, Mercedes W13, Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13, Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin AMR22

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13, Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin AMR22

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Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13, on the formation lap

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Photo by: Glenn Dunbar/Motorsport Images

The porpoising , although in a less exaggerated way, leaves some typical image of the 70s or 80s, that of the cars raised from the ground, in the air. Hamilton believes the characteristics of the Silver Arrows’ car exacerbate the problem, and wants a smoother circuit.

“Yeah, well I’m pretty sure, our car is very stiff, the wheels and suspension push it back to the ground, so yeah. But I’m looking forward to a more open track, I hope it’s not like that at the next race, I’m just praying it’s not as bumpy as it was in Monaco.”

The seven-time champion, after seven races held so far, is sixth in the drivers’ world championship, with 50 points, 33 behind fifth (Carlos Sainz) and 34 behind his teammate Russell.