FIA responds to drivers’ requests and introduces a new directive! It may also have a say in the distribution of the starting field

The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) is responding to the drivers’ calls and intends to address the problems with bouncing monoblocs for safety reasons. Ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, it is introducing a new directive.

Finally, the FIA has actually listened to the drivers’ criticism with regard to porpoising, or monpoles bouncing on the straights, and is introducing a new technical directive that guarantees both short-term and long-term measures.

The drivers were most vocal at the regular Friday briefing in Baku, after several drivers suffered neck and back problems.

The Ferrari and Mercedes stables have so far suffered the most from the bouncing, with Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Carlos Sainz complaining of back pain, but more recently Pierre Gasly in the AlphaTauri and a number of others.

It should be noted, after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, all the drivers except Fernando Alonso agreed that porpoising is indeed a big problem and should be addressed by the FIA itself.

“After the eighth round of this year’s FIA Formula One World Championship, during which the phenomenon of aerodynamic oscillations (porpoising) of the new generation of F1 cars and its effect during and after the race on the physical condition of the drivers once again became apparent, the FIA, as the sport’s governing body, decided that in the interests of safety it was necessary to intervene and require teams to make the necessary adjustments to reduce or eliminate this phenomenon,” the FIA said in a statement.

It should also be noted that the FIA can issue the new directive without the unanimous consent of the teams, as long as it is related to safety.

In short, the FIA is concerned about the health of the drivers, obviously as a result of porpoising. The FIA also said that it had issued the new technical directive in order to provide guidance to teams on the measures the FIA intends to take to address the issue.

So what solution is currently on offer? The FIA will introduce a maximum bouncing rate, with teams having to fit within the set value. It should be noted that this decision may affect the distribution of forces in the starting field.

If Formula 1 doesn’t find some improvements in the development of the monoposts, the teams will have to accept a change in ground clearance, for example. However, this is undesirable in the world of Formula 1, for the reason that if the ground clearance is changed, the monoposts will lose power and some downforce in the corners.

Sources: FIA, Motorsport