Bottas about bouncing F1 cars: ‘It can seriously injure drivers’ | Motorsport

sport">His former teammate Lewis Hamilton had difficulty getting out of his Mercedes last weekend after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion said he had problems with his back during the race in Baku, in the considerably bouncing W13.

sport">Team boss Toto Wolff more or less apologized to the Brit after the finish over the on-board radio. Hamilton himself said afterwards: ,,It is almost impossible to express how much pain I experience here, especially on the straight. In the end you are praying that it will be over soon.”

Stray from cars

sport">Hamilton finished fourth, behind teammate George Russell. Both English drivers state that their car feels better and better, apart from the bounce on the straight. That made itself felt even more in the bumpy streets of Baku, although Russell in the paddock – before speaking to the media – was still fit enough to pull a good sprint. “The balance of the car feels good, but the bounce is huge because we’re only a few millimeters above the ground,” said Russell.

sport">Bottas saw this too, he tells the BBC† ,,I have seen how stiff the drivers come out of the cars after the races. With some speeds and curves … the cars are therefore less controllable by bouncing. It’s definitely an issue right now and it’s getting more serious.”

sport">To continue: ,,It shouldn’t be like that. We have spoken with the FIA ​​as drivers and made it clear that we want solutions to be sought in the future and how we can improve this. I don’t think I’ve felt it like some do.”

sport">Also listen to a new Formula 1 podcast about the relationships at Red Bull, the reliability problems at Ferrari and the back problems at Lewis Hamilton due to the now well-known ‘porpoising’:

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