When the Formula 1 teams started rolling, a large part of them were surprised by the jumps that their new 2022 season cars made when reaching their maximum speed at the end of the straight.
Trying to control the problem has been a major headache for some of them, such as Mercedes, which chose to use temporary supports on its floor in the first tests that were carried out in Barcelona, while Alfa Romeo will not have a suitable solution until the next tests, which will be in Bahrain.
However, there was one team that almost didn’t encounter this setback. McLaren only experienced it by installing some test parts, which seemed to change its aerodynamic platform and triggered it.
McLaren technical director James Key said the Woking team was not completely immune to porpoising, but also acknowledged it was not causing him any particular concern.
“We tried a couple of things that seemed to make it easier,” Key said. “But it was reduced when we removed them, so it can be fixed with aerodynamics.”
“I think where we are, it hasn’t really been a talking point for us. Of course, this is not to say that I can’t come back if we continue to develop the car. great distraction for the pilots”.
Key confessed that the team hadn’t hit on the key to creating a car that would address this specific problem, but he equally doesn’t think that the fact that his car has proven to be so stable is just a fluke.
“I would love to believe that we have been super smart, but the reality is that this is very difficult to simulate,” he explained.
“It has to do with the stiffness of the tires and the elevation modes of your car. Because, if it’s in tune with the chassis, that’s when you see it shoot up, getting a natural frequency. You also have to have take into account the front weight.
“So no, I don’t think it’s luck at all. I think the stability of the car plays a bit of a role in this, as well as the way the car holds onto the load in different height conditions and so on. .
“But I would be lying if I said it was by design, I think it is a phenomenon that we are going to get used to when putting these cars on the asphalt. I hope that we can solve it over time and that we learn how to make it not be a issue”.
However, Key acknowledged that porpoising may be here to stay, that teams may never get rid of it and drivers may have to learn to live with it at certain tracks.
“I think there will always be some reaction inherent in proximity to the ground, because they are cars that have that effect,” he added.
“I think it is inherent and that is why we are seeing it now, but I think we will learn to manage it. We have a lot to find in these cars and a lot to learn, so I don’t think you can eradicate the phenomenon, as it is something physical. .
“But in terms of how to manage it, I think it will be much less of an issue and talking point after a little bit of development work.”
