Haas is a team that has not suffered excessive porpoising compared to others like Mercedes or Ferrari, but in Baku everyone was affected to some extent. For this reason, Mick Schumacher experienced something new on the straights, a place where, in principle, drivers can go relaxed, but the German had to deal with rebounds.
After taking the controls of the VF-22, the son of the seven-time world champion found himself in unexpected pain: “I think we all suffered it to be honest, it was a very tough race.”
“I started feeling it in my back about 10-15 laps in, and in the end it was a lot of pain in that area in general,” he said when asked by Motorsport.com if he had experienced neck or other problems in Azerbaijan.
“What happens is that with that bounce you can’t recover. Last year you had the fastballs to relax, but now you’re trying to go tense because they throw you a lot in the seat,” he assured.
“Every lap, the belts hit me, and I began to have marks on all sides, also in the crotch, which are areas that are not usually used when driving,” continued the German. “I guess it’s something you have to get used to.”
“I also think it’s something we shouldn’t get used to, because I think it will have an effect in a few years. I’ve heard the story of a driver from the 70s or 80s who had the same problems with porpoising and had to retire from Formula One. 1 because his back hurt a lot,” Schumacher said.
“So it’s something they’ll have to look into, and I’m sure Formula 1 and the FIA are doing everything they can to try and work it out,” explained the Haas driver, who has yet to score any career points.
Until Baku, many on the grid seemed to have little empathy for those who first raised the issue, especially Carlos Sainz and George Russell, but the German insists the situation needs to be investigated.
“I’ve always had sympathy with them, because I know what it feels like when something isn’t comfortable. I’ve been driving with a crooked seat for some time [in 2021],” he said. “It just means that maybe we have to act faster than some are suggesting.”
Mick Schumacher agreed with the FIA’s intervention regarding porpoising, noting that physical pain could affect concentration: “It’s something your mind goes to automatically, pain is always something your body does. it hurts, you’ll think about it, and it’s the same when you’re running.”
“That’s why we train, we try to stay fit so we don’t have to think about what he’s holding his neck for, that’s why we’re so trained and put in so much time,” added the de Haas man.
For his part, Pierre Gasly, said that he needed a lot of physical work after the race in Baku, a very hard one for his body: “For me, it has never been a problem, I know how much I do and how many hours of exercise I need in the gym” .
“I have never had that feeling that I had in Azerbaijan. I did two physiotherapy sessions every day, in the morning and in the evening, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” he said in the run-up to the Canadian Grand Prix.
“I flew back Monday morning at 9am and had another physio session to get ready because my back was hurting and even now I’m still a bit tense so I plan to do more in the afternoon,” he said. the French.
“Last year, I always had my normal sessions, on Thursdays and Saturdays, but it was more to prevent than anything else. Right now it’s more to work the tissues and lead that pressure on the tendons,” said the AlphaTauri rider. .
“For now, it’s the new normal, but going forward, we need to find solutions for the health of everyone on the grid,” said the 2020 Italian Grand Prix winner.
