Mercedes have been at the forefront of the demand for making a regulation change to counter the effects of porpoising in the newly designed F1 cars. The new regulation change ended Mercedes’ reign after eight seasons as they were restricted to being the third fastest team this season. The Silver Arrows have got the hang of their porpoising trouble, but they still lack the much-needed pace to stay in the lead and win their first race of the season.
While the double podium in France brought the season-best performance for Mercedes, they still lack a lot to compete at the front. But, it was Baku that changed things for drivers who had been struggling with the effects of prolonged bouncing on their bodies.
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell led the charge and called for a change by the FIA. However, Russell recently revealed that the FIA decided to intervene after the committee organized a drivers’ survey regarding the porpoising issue. Russell is one of the directors of the GP Drivers’ Association, along with Sebastian Vettel and Alex Wurz. And the F1 governing body decided to intervene after an official request from the GPDA.
George Russell Claims F1 Drivers’ Survey Led To The FIA’s Intervention
Talking to BBC Sport, George Russell revealed that all the drivers did a survey. He had not seen the result, and only their lawyer, Alex Wurz, and the FIA were aware of the outcome. Although the Mercedes driver revealed some of the questions included in the survey. He added, “Is the porpoising affecting your health? Do you feel more pain after the race compared to previous seasons? Is it something the FIA needs to look into?”
George Russell further stated that he did not know the exact figure. However, the 24-year-old was confident that the majority of drivers would have agreed that something needed to be changed. As a result, the FIA made some serious changes in the championship. They introduced a metric to monitor the aerodynamic oscillations of cars. The governing body also mandated a flexibility figure for the plank below the car.
The FIA’s changes will come into effect during the Belgium Grand Prix, with an aim to reduce or eliminate. However, not much porpoising has been visible since the British Grand Prix, resulting in Red Bull and Ferrari claiming that a change was not required. But, despite all the protests, the FIA has decided to implement the changes, keeping drivers’ safety in mind.