After collecting enough data on porpoising during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, the FIA has postponed its plans to use a metric that will measure how much cars oscillate vertically until the French Grand Prix , due later in the month. .
A complex formula will set a limit for the rebounds of the cars, with the aim of ending the safety concerns generated by some drivers and teams. Any car that does not meet these limits will risk exclusion from a grand prix.
At Saturday’s British GP press conference, Horner said the FIA was right to ask teams about the application of the latest technical directive, explaining that the last-minute introduction in Montreal “was not correct. “.
However, the Red Bull driver was concerned about the complexity of this metric that the FIA has proposed, as well as the influence it could have on the configuration of the cars.
“The metric they’re talking about is pretty complicated, that’s the concern: how is the measurement done, what does it affect, and all that kind of stuff,” Horner said.
“When you look at it from a purist point of view, it’s not ideal, because it seems like we’re giving more and more influence to the FIA for them to pick what the set-up is for each car.
“At what point can they force you to wear a certain rear wing, or to modify the height of the car? It is a dangerous path.”
“I understand that this is being introduced for safety reasons, because the porpoising in some cars is obviously at extreme levels, and it is logical that they are looking for a mechanism to control that.”
“But hopefully it’s something that’s only done for this year and I hope it’s something that all the teams take into account [for 2023], as I’m sure all the cars will come to a point of convergence next year.
“It’s not really a precedent that we hope [the next few courses] will follow, otherwise the car set-ups will be dictated by the FIA directives.”
Mercedes has been one of the teams most affected by rebound so far this season, and obviously would not have been able to meet this demanding metric in Baku last month due to the sheer amount of movement its W13 underwent.
Red Bull has been very clear about its concern about changing the rules in the middle of the season for an issue that is not affecting all teams equally, which has already caused some clashes after the FIA technical directive published in Canada.
That technical directive will be discussed by the teams at the F1 Commission meeting next week and in turn they will be able to use the next two races at Silverstone and Red Bull Ring to prepare before the technical directive comes into force in the French Grand Prix.
Williams principal Jost Capito echoed Horner ‘s words on the complexity of the metric, saying: “The proposal is too complicated. We have to find simpler solutions that still allow the team to work and do the set-up. to your liking, obviously also complying with the regulations”.
