F1 Plans To Clamp Down on Bouncing Beginning With French Grand Prix

Formula 1’s governing body has acted to limit the amount that cars can bounce.

The phenomenon has featured in Formula 1 this year after overhauled technical regulations were introduced into the sport.

Porpoising has arisen due to the ground effect, which has returned this year, whereby airflow beneath the intricate bodywork is disrupted, causing the cars to bounce up and down.

There is also a separate bouncing caused by the floors of the cars hitting the track due to the set-up window in which it is optimum for teams to run.

The FIA acted following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after several drivers raised potential long-term safety worries. Several were concerned over the potential for lasting neck and back injuries while Lewis Hamilton revealed at the following event that he had been subject to hits of up to 10-g.

A technical directive was issued prior to the event in Canada which outlined that measurements would be taken in a bid to limit the porpoising—officially known as vertical oscillation—in the interests of safety.

This analysis has now been concluded by the FIA and a metric has been defined by which this vertical oscillation will be monitored.

Formula 1’s teams have been informed and the technical directive will become effective from the French Grand Prix onward, giving the affected teams two events in which to make changes.

The updated TD also outlines updated parameters relating to plank wear and skid stiffness, related to the same issue, with the changes deemed necessary in order to provide a level playing field when the new metric is implemented.