Critical bouncing in Formula 1: Anti-“Hoppel” measures split the paddock

Critical bouncing in Formula 1
Anti-“Hoppel” measures split the paddock

The FIA ​​issues an urgent warning that the Formula 1 teams must get the “hopping” of their cars under control. The measures decided by the world association met with a mixed response from the drivers in the premier class ahead of the Canadian GP.

The Formula 1 drivers have reacted differently to the measures decided by the world automobile association FIA to reduce the characteristic hopping of the new vehicle generation. The majority, including ex-world champion Sebastian Vettel, welcomed the decision. “It can’t be that we drivers are physically injured for the rest of our lives,” said Vettel in Montreal: “It’s good that the FIA ​​puts safety above performance.”

However, some drivers saw the racing teams themselves as responsible for getting the strong and dangerous jumping under control. “Regardless of whether it helps or hurts us: I don’t think that rule changes in the season are correct,” said world champion Max Verstappen. His title rival Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) agreed: “The team has to give me a car that I can drive.”

Record champion Lewis Hamilton, who suffered particularly from porpoising at the last race in Baku and complained of severe back pain due to the constant touching down, welcomed the intervention of the FIA ​​​​unreservedly. “It’s positive that the FIA ​​is working on it. It’s also about ensuring that future driver generations don’t suffer from back pain,” explained the Mercedes star.

Veteran star Fernando Alonso admitted that as a driver, “it’s sometimes difficult to go to the team and ask for less performance because something is hurting us”. The FIA ​​issued a technical directive on Thursday that must be implemented at the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix.

Specifically, in the future, among other things, the floor panels of the vehicles will be checked even more closely for wear. In addition, a key figure should be defined that “is based on the vertical acceleration of the vehicle and represents a quantitative limit for the acceptable level of vertical vibrations”. An exact mathematical formula is still being worked out. The teams were “called upon” to contribute to this process. The result should be that the racing cars do not touch down more or less strongly.

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