Last season ended in controversy, and we may be headed in that direction again in 2022. Will the F.I.A. do anything about porpoising and, if so, what?
All Formula One racing fans remember when Mercedes began to dominate the sport. It was when new hybrid engines were introduced in 2014. The Brackley-based group won nearly every race, and Lewis Hamilton, who had come over to Mercedes in a controversial move from McLaren, made doubters wrong by taking seven world titles. Along with then-teammate Nico Rosberg’s sole championship in 2016, the Silver Arrows took control of the sport until a late evening last November in Abu Dhabi when Max Verstappen, in a Red Bull entry, won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, giving the Austrian-backed team its first championship since 2003.
Red Bull has sustained that position in 2022, putting together a new car that worked for the Milton Keynes crew after experiencing issues early in the season. On the other hand, Mercedes has struggled with its car’s new design. Hamilton is currently in 6th place in the championship race, standing almost 100 points behind leader Verstappen. He also trails his partner, George Russell, who is in 4th place currently. Russell, known as an aggressive and consistent driver, replaced Valtteri Bottas, who was Hamilton’s teammate for many seasons. So far in 2022, Russell has claimed three 2022 podiums to Hamilton’s two.
The major issue for Mercedes is what’s called porpoising, or a bouncing effect, which affects the car down a major straight. It is caused by the extreme downforce of the new cars, and it has struck Mercedes more than any other team.
But Red Bull team boss Christian Horner isn’t buying the claim. He believes the protest is because Mercedes has not been competitive this season. The Silver Arrows are currently in 3rd place in the Constructor Standing, trailing long-languishing Ferrari by 40 points and Red Bull by 100+ points.
Horner contends that you can’t change anything in the middle of the season, and other team bosses agree. Of course, Mercedes’s team boss, Toto Wolff, does not.
Team principals play politics when a situation like this emerges, so Mercedes’s plea and Red Bull’s response come as no surprise. Typically, it is disingenuous, but this time, a serious issue is involved.
Of course, season-leading Red Bull has the least to complain about, and for the first time in eons, Ferrari is in the championship hunt, including leading Mercedes. That brings matters back to the F.I.A. Last season ended in controversy, and we may be headed in that direction again in 2022. Will the F.I.A. do anything and, if so, what?
