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“FIA needs to do something about porpoising”- $500 million worth Mercedes boss wary about Lewis Hamilton and other F1 drivers suffering from brain damage

Somin Bhattacharjee
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"FIA needs to do something about porpoising"- $500 million worth Mercedes boss wary about Lewis Hamilton and other F1 drivers suffering from brain damage

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff admits he’s concerned about F1 drivers suffering from brain damage due to porpoising. 

One of the terms F1 fans were introduced to at the start of the season was porpoising. It basically describes the bouncing of a car, when it’s going at full speed on the straights.

It does not only look uncomfortable, but is a severe problem that teams are dealing with. Porpoising impacts performance, and is also a physical challenge for drivers. We saw Lewis Hamilton hurt his back, after dealing with porpoising around the Baku Street Circuit.

Wolff’s team Mercedes, is one of the teams who have been affected by this the most. In a recent interview, he shed light on his concerns regarding the same, and how it may lead to brain damage for the F1 stars.

He insists that the FIA must do something about it, in order to prevent any lasting damage.

Also read: “Mark Webber steering Oscar Piastri to replace $15 million earning Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren”- How Australian affair is not keeping things fine at Alpine

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff wants FIA to act on making F1 safer

The FIA are working towards making alteration to the current regulations, that would reduce the porpoising seen on cars. One of the changes proposed is to raise the height of the car by 25mm from 2023 onwards.

Some teams do not like this, and feel it would be an expensive alteration of their already costly car designs. Mercedes meanwhile, are firmly behind FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem in making this change.

“There’s all this talk of lobbying in either direction,” Toto Wolff said. “But I think fundamentally, what are we talking about?”

“The FIA has commissioned medical work on the porpoising. The summary of the doctors is that frequency of 1-2Hz, sustained over a few minutes, can lead to brain damage. We have 6-7Hz over several hours. So the answer is very easy,  FIA needs to do something about it.”

Despite Wolff’s push, some teams including Ferrari don’t welcome this alteration. They feel that the FIA should focus on improving other immediate aspects of the car, rather than focusing on preventing porpoising.

Also read: “Physiotherapist and medical expenses up to $122,000”- The luxurious life of Daniel Ricciardo at Alpine (Renault)

    About the author

    Somin Bhattacharjee

    Somin Bhattacharjee

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    Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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