Mercedes has disclosed the areas they are investigating regarding the bouncing issue that affected their 2022 season but has largely disappeared in the current year’s W14, thanks to regulation changes. However, during the recent Spa race, both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell reported experiencing bouncing problems, with Russell facing a significant amount of it.
The team is now trying to determine if the issue is track-specific or related to car setup. Due to the sprint event rules, Mercedes and its rivals had limited practice time, with only a wet FP1 session available to fine-tune their cars. This lack of testing makes it difficult to implement changes and explore potential solutions.
One possibility is that recent car updates might have contributed to the bouncing problem, but the team believes this is less likely. Elliott, speaking on behalf of the team, mentioned that bouncing affects the car’s performance by hindering the drivers’ ability to extract maximum grip, affecting their balance and braking points.
The investigation will delve into whether the issue is inherent to the Spa circuit or caused by their car setup. The wet race weekend also led to the drivers adopting different aero packages at Spa, with Russell choosing a higher downforce level compared to Hamilton.
The team relies on simulator work to achieve the general balance requirements and determine the downforce level for the car. Due to the weather conditions and lack of dry running at Spa, the drivers stuck with the setups they had initially preferred, with both being satisfied with their choices.
Mercedes is committed to working on resolving the bouncing problem for the future and will carefully assess the upgrade kit to ensure it does not introduce any bouncing issues. At this point, they believe that the problem is more likely to be associated with the circuit or their setup choices.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about F1 car bouncing
What phenomenon dominated Mercedes’ 2022 F1 season?
The bouncing issue dominated Mercedes’ 2022 F1 season, affecting their performance.
Has the bouncing problem persisted in the current year’s W14?
No, the bouncing issue has largely disappeared in the current year’s W14 due to regulation changes.
Did Lewis Hamilton and George Russell experience bouncing at Spa?
Yes, both drivers reported experiencing bouncing issues at Spa during the recent race.
What are the possible causes of the bouncing problem?
The bouncing issue might be track-specific or related to the car setup. Recent car updates are considered less likely to be the cause.
How does bouncing affect F1 car performance?
Bouncing affects the drivers’ ability to extract maximum grip, impacts the car’s balance, and affects braking points, ultimately affecting overall performance.
How did the lack of practice time impact car setups at Spa?
Due to limited practice time and wet conditions, the drivers ended up with different aero packages at Spa, making them stick with their initial choices.
What is Mercedes doing to address the bouncing problem?
Mercedes is conducting an investigation to determine the root cause of the bouncing issue and will work on solutions to rectify it in the future.
More about F1 car bouncing
- Mercedes reveals areas of investigation for F1 car bouncing
- Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W14 – Photo by Michael Potts / F1 Flow Images
- Hamilton’s post-F1 future not a part of new Mercedes contract
- Wolff: Mercedes F1 development direction right despite return of bouncing
- Hamilton: Mercedes suffering with F1 car bouncing again
