After the unexpected porpoising appeared in Formula 1 at the beginning of the preseason, when the cars of the new technical regulations were released on the Barcelona track, the controversy was revived at the last Azerbaijan Grand Prix due to repeated back problems in several pilots like Lewis Hamilton or Daniel Ricciardo.
Several drivers complained about possible long-term health effects, with Mercedes even saying publicly through its boss, Toto Wolff , that the seven-time world champion could miss the next race because of the pain he was in.
For this, the FIA has reacted, and through a statement has given the first indications to the teams to try to solve this rebound of the single-seaters at high speed on the straights. This is explained in what the governing body has published: “After the eighth round of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship this year, in which the phenomenon of aerodynamic oscillations (“porpoising”) of the new generation of Formula 1 cars, and its effect during and after the race on the physical condition of the drivers, the FIA, as the governing body of the sport, has decided that, in the interests of safety, it is necessary to intervene to require the teams that make the necessary adjustments to reduce or eliminate this phenomenon”.
The federation has given some points to follow for the teams on the grid for the 2022 season: “A Technical Directive has been issued to guide the teams on the measures that the FIA intends to adopt to tackle the problem. These include:
1. A more detailed examination of the plates and skids, both in terms of their design and the observed wear.
2. The definition of a metric, based on the vertical acceleration of the car, that will give a quantitative limit for the acceptable level of vertical oscillations. The exact mathematical formula for this metric is still being analyzed by the FIA, and Formula 1 teams have been invited to contribute to this process.”
“In addition to these short-term measures, the FIA will convene a technical meeting with the teams to define measures that reduce the propensity of the cars to present these phenomena in the medium term,” continued the statement issued on Thursday afternoon prior to the Grand Prix. from Canada.
“The FIA has decided to intervene after consulting their doctors in the interests of driver safety. In a sport where competitors routinely drive at speeds in excess of 300 km/h, it is considered that a driver’s full concentration must focus on that task, and that excessive fatigue or pain experienced by a pilot could have significant consequences if it causes a loss of concentration.
In addition, the FIA is concerned about the immediate physical impact on the health of drivers, some of whom have reported back pain following recent events.
