The Mercedes F1 Team are doing all they can for porpoising to be eliminated from Formula 1, even going to the lengths of asking the FIA to change the current regulation rules.
The W13’s bouncing was the worst it’s been so far this season in Azerbaijan, to the point where Sir Lewis Hamilton struggled to climb out of his car post race.
George Russell spoke out over the matter, deeming it as “unhealthy”; that a huge crash caused by porpoising would happen in just a “matter of time”.
Mercedes can easily rectify the problem, however, it would come at a cost.
The German team could raise the W13’s ride height, reducing the bouncing in the process.
This would severely impact the team’s performance though, something Mercedes can’t afford to do whilst they are already behind their main rivals.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, highlighted after the Azerbaijan GP that the team can fix their problems.
Horner thinks Mercedes are taking the easy route though; deciding to complain to the FIA.
“Of course there are solutions, it’s just that they’re at the expense of performance,” Horner explained.
“So the easiest thing to do is complain. They can always screw a thicker floor on the car if they want to.
“And all of us decide for ourselves how high you want to run the car. That would be the first and the simplest solution,” the Red Bull boss rounded off.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff believes that what Horner suggested wouldn’t work in the long run, as the Mercedes boss continues to see his usually dominant side struggle.
The German team are attempting to get the rules changed, by getting the other teams in the paddock to support their protest.
Former driver Martin Brundle can’t see anybody helping Mercedes, labelling it as “like asking a turkey to vote for Christmas”.
“I don’t want to downplay what Lewis and George (Russell) are going through, but asking the other teams to change the rules to help Mercedes is like asking a turkey to vote for Christmas,” he said.
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To the team’s dismay, former boss of the side Norbert Haug, fully agrees with the comments made by Brundle.
“I can’t imagine that there will be a rule change,” he told Sky Deutschland.
“Especially as Red Bull has already pointed out that it would be unfair.”
Red Bull Racing are currently the only team to suffer from zero porpoising, having found an effective solution to the problem.
The RB18 is able to run extremely low, whilst also remaining smooth at some of the fastest speeds seen in the field.
Red Bull as a result have won six of the opening eight rounds of the championship, giving them an 80 point advantage at the top of the Constructors’ standings.
Haug is hopeful that Mercedes can be fast again by the British GP, however, he also believes the problem can’t be immediately fixed.
“I don’t think Mercedes’ problem can be solved in the short term,” Haug continued.
“That’s why Mercedes, in the truest sense of the word, is the most shaken.
“In the wind tunnel it works, but when the ground effect keeps breaking, it’s kind of like riding a jackhammer. And this will not be remedied by changing the regulations.
“It’s a tough time for them now, but they’ll sort things out. Maybe they’ll have to completely rethink the aerodynamic concept but I think we’ll be fast at Silverstone,” concluded the former Mercedes boss.