The FIA is ready to introduce new limits of how a lot automobiles can bounce from the subsequent race in Belgium earlier than pushing by way of regulation modifications for 2023 to curb the porpoising subject groups have encountered this 12 months.
A variety of drivers have highlighted the doable questions of safety concerned, however some groups have questioned whether or not it’s a real security matter and whether it is as a substitute getting used as justification for modifications which may supply a aggressive benefit.
Mercedes F1 boss Wolff has seen his crew face a number of the worst bouncing points this season, most notably in Baku, the place Lewis Hamilton was seen holding his again after getting out of the automobile on the finish of the race.
Wolff warned the FIA couldn’t ignore the information pointing to the doable risks of porpoising, noting the medical analysis performed with American Soccer gamers relating to move accidents after repetitive impacts by way of their careers.
“It is quite simple: now we have at all times mentioned we are able to both do nothing, or do the proper factor,” Wolff instructed Motorsport.com in an interview.
“We’ve got, and FIA has, you may ask them, medical evaluation, that frequencies of 1 or two hertz over a number of minutes can result in long run mind harm. We’ve got six to seven hertz over a number of hours.
“The FIA has simply no choice than to do one thing, and I believe that making an attempt to go away issues alone, or have groups lobbying for it or in opposition to it, it is simply fully irrelevant.
“It is a medical query that must be answered. And these experiences are a actuality and they’re reality. I do not suppose that the gang across the FIA will let themselves be manipulated in both route.
“The GPDA gave their statements, the drivers have given the statements on an nameless type. The competent specialists and medical doctors have been consulting, and the result’s that it isn’t good for long-term impact.
“The FIA says it does not need to have an NFL scenario.”
Toto Wolff, Staff Principal and CEO, Mercedes AMG
Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Pictures
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem wrote on Twitter earlier this week that the up to date technical laws for 2023 had been despatched to the World Motor Sport Council, though it’s unclear what if any settlement had been reached with groups in regards to the ground modifications.
Purple Bull crew boss Christian Horner mentioned in France that the “lobbying” to alter the principles for 2023 have been to assist a “sure crew”, hinting at Mercedes.
However Wolff mentioned he noticed the push to make these modifications “very otherwise” to earlier efforts to get rule breaks, and that Mercedes’ current upswing in type – together with its first pole of the season in Hungary courtesy of George Russell – isn’t any cause to surrender on efforts to alter the principles due to the vital security subject at hand.
“You possibly can say right now, it looks as if now we have understood our automobile, we’re on prime of it – now we have pole, let’s not change something,” Wolff mentioned.
“It is irrelevant, as a result of it’s a frequency of bouncing and porpoising that is unhealthy for the drivers. We do not perceive and might’t even relate how it’s to be shaken round in these automobiles.
“Have we acquired and have all of the groups gotten on prime of it? Possibly. Possibly not. We’ve not been on a bouncing observe.
“Do we have to have some precautions for subsequent 12 months? Sure, for positive.”