The new technical regulation characterized by the return of ground effect cars yes, it made the fights more exciting by allowing the cars to stay closer together, but it also brought to light a problem that forced the team and the FIA to find a solution not only for 2023 but also for the current season. The new FIA anti-porpoising directive, approved in June and will take effect from Belgian Grand Prix in Spaback from the summer break. As for the 2023 regulation Christian Horner said the team and the FIA have reached an agreement finding a compromise between each other's requests.
A fair rule?
The problem of "jumping" has become increasingly important after the Grand Prix of Baku, race in which the the phenomenon of porpoising manifested itself more, in particular on a team car: Mercedes. The W13 compared to her previous sisters is a single-seater that is difficult to tame due to its wrong design basis. This led the team to have to test different solutions to solve some problems, in particular that of the jumping. Problem that other teams, such as Red Bull and Ferrari have never charged excessively. Mercedes' appeal after Baku came to the cohort of FIA, that, to safeguard the health of the pilots it has decided to launch a directive anti-porpoising, forcing all teams to measures that actually changed the current regulation, and provided the basis for the 2023 one.
Complaints from Red Bull and Ferrari promptly arrived. “This technical directive seems to try to help only one team that could simply raise the car's ground clearance. If it's safety we're talking about then the FIA could simply show the black flag in the race against Mercedes. Toto said that all the riders complained about the rebounds, mine certainly didn't though" He said Christian horner a few days after the approval of the new porpoising directive.
The Red Bull team principal drew attention to the fact that these complaints only came from one team, moreover the one furthest back in the world struggle, afflicted by the inferiority of the W13. Another point raised by the opponents concerns the fact of change the regulation with the current championshipthus nullifying one of the advantages accrued with the merit of a winning project.
The teams against
Among the teams that opposed the regulation change on porpoising besides Red Bull and Ferrari we find AlphaTauri, Williams, Haas and Alfa Romeo, while Mercedes, McLaren, Alpine and Aston Martin were lined up together with the Federation.
Mercedes against flexible funds
But it was also the answer the Mercedes that pointed the finger at the flexible funds of Red Bull e Ferrari, which would thus have exploited a gray area of the regulation. As reported by Car engine and sport la new directive could force some teams to raise the car from the ground about 6 mm consequently losing two or three tenths. “Just what Mercedes lacks to win”, underlines the German newspaper.
Mercedes has not suffered excessively from these problems since Baku even getting back into the fight with the two contenders for the title. In fact, he is only 30 points behind Ferrari in the standings Russell into Hungary he took the first pole of his career, interrupting the supremacy of Red Bull e Ferrari. The new provisions could bring back those 3/XNUMX that you pay to the other two teams. But second Toto wolff the risk of damage to the pilots, even to the brain remains a critical point that justifies an intervention from above.
The compromise for 2023
As reported by RacingNews365.com the agreement for 2023 will lead to raising the cars from the ground by 15 millimeters. A compromise therefore between the 25 requested by the FIA and the 10 proposed by the teams.
"Raising the cars by 15 millimeters is not the same as doing it by 25, nor is it leaving them as they are. It is a compromise that we will have to face in the realization of next year's car, incorporate this rule into your project. We'll just have to deal with it and find a solution. It's what we've been good at doing over the years, and we'll have to do it again in this challengeChristian Horner said.
This decision, which took place just before the summer break, was taken too late according to Mattia Binotto. It is known, in fact, that this is a delicate phase of the current championship but above all of the next one. A phase in which different teams converge their resources on 2023 projects. "On next year's regulations, however, they are really dragging their feet, to such an extent that it seems almost too late. You can't arrive at the last minute and make such significant changes, when we also have limited gallery hours and a budget cap by now the car concepts are done and the single-seaters are ready. If someone changed something it would seem really crazy in terms of approach and decision" Binotto said.
Declaration source: FormulaPassion
