The governing body issued a technical directive on porpoising ahead of the Canadian GP stating that they would use a system to collect data that weekend ahead of a future major measure for security reasons .
However, it remains an unknown what course the FIA may take to control it, and the matter will be discussed at a technical directors’ meeting ahead of the British GP .
Alpine haven’t struggled with porpoising and rebounding as much as other rivals, although both Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso admitted it was a problem in Baku .
However, like other drivers, it didn’t affect them much at Circuit Gilles Montreal.
“It’s up to the FIA to help with all safety issues,” Szafnauer said after Sunday’s race. “And I’m sure they’re looking into it. But there’s a process to go through. And I think they will.”
“I didn’t see much porpoising in Canada. We asked our drivers on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being a huge bounce and 0 or 1 being no bounce.”
“And in Montreal they told us a 2, for example. So that was their opinion. Out of 10, we were at a 2, so I don’t think it was a problem there. But you never know what other circuits can be like.”
Szafnauer said he would accept action from the FIA on safety grounds only if the teams do not come out on top.
“If the FIA determines it’s a safety issue, as long as the playing field remains level and some teams don’t use it as a negotiating tactic to gain a competitive advantage, then that’s fine with me.”
“So we will never oppose anything for security reasons. But like I said, for us in Montreal, the severity of porpoising was 2 out of 10. That’s almost nothing.”
“If it’s a safety issue, it goes to the TAC [Technical Advisory Committee], then it’s proposed to the World Motor Sport Council and then it’s voted on. But I don’t know what’s going to happen with porpoising. I hope it’s discussed at the TAC “.
Speaking over the weekend in Montreal, Szafnauer stressed that Alpine had sacrificed performance to control porpoising .
“It’s a problem for us, but we raise the ride height, lose downforce and take it to a logical level,” he told Motorsport.com.
“And I’m pretty sure everyone could do that. I don’t know what everyone else does, but I guess they don’t want to give up downforce, so they go with a lower ride height, and that causes porpoising . So Which I think is pretty simple.”
