While both Mercedes and Ferrari are struggling with the effect of porpoising, the former seems to have faced a much more disastrous outcome.
In the 2022 season, a lot of teams have been seen struggling with the effects of porpoising but it seems as though Mercedes is the worst affected. In the Australian GP, Ferrari was also seen bouncing off the track but it still bagged good points, unlike the Brackley-based team.
Porpoising takes place when the car bounces as the underfloor aero stalls. It raises the car, then re-attaches the car, which brings it down again. Meanwhile, the drivers keep shaking in the cockpit due to the bouncing motion and the impact of the floor on the surface.
So while all this happened to both Mercedes and Ferrari, why is it that Mercedes is suffering more? The teams try to find solutions to minimise the effect. In doing so it matters what they sacrifice and how well they manage it.
Porpoising is not that big a problem on the straights as long as it does not damage the car or shake the driver beyond what they can tolerate.
What matters is the theoretical downforce sacrificed by the increased ride height to lessen the problem. the second factor is the dynamic impact on the car in the faster corners. In both cases, it seems as though the Ferrari has done a much better job.
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Mercedes vs Ferrari
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff explained that the W13 is carrying the porpoising into the high speed- corners followed by the long back straight making the effect worse.
This phenomenon is leading to a significant proportion of performance deficits. However, Wolff thinks that there are other areas where the car can improve. Meanwhile, Ferrari is quicker almost everywhere on the track.
Most likely the solution to Mercedes’ problems lies in the floor design combined with how this year’s simplified suspension systems work. The solution also lies in the several other parts of the car but in any case, it seems as though the Ferrari can cope with the problems.
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