The FIA takes measures against dolphin hunting
After several drivers reported a complaint, the FIA took up the case for security reasons.
Faced with numerous driver complaints after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and Lewis Hamilton’s back problems, the FIA has decided to take action. And they didn’t waste any time.
If the phenomenon was predictable and from the pre-season tests, the problem seemed concerning, it was in Baku that everything accelerated. While a few remarks escaped the mouths of the drivers, the Azerbaijani event sped up everything.
Two measures
« Following the eighth round of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship 2022, during which the aerodynamic oscillations phenomenon of the new generation of Formula 1 cars and its effect on the physical condition of the drivers during and after the race were once again visible, the FIA, as the governing body of F1, has decided that it is necessary to intervene in the interest of safety and require teams to make the necessary adjustments to reduce or eliminate this phenomenon », announced the major organization based in Paris.
Read also: We explain the porpoising.
At the dawn of the Canadian Grand Prix, which takes place on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, the FIA has decided to release a Technical Directive to guide teams in addressing this issue. It consists of two points:
1. A more thorough examination of the floors and skates, both in terms of design and observed wear.
2. The definition of an indicator, based on the vertical acceleration of the car, which will provide a quantitative limit for an acceptable level of vertical oscillation. The exact mathematical formula for this indicator is still being analyzed by the FIA, and Formula 1 teams have been invited to contribute to this process.
However, these new rules were not supposed to be implemented as of this Friday, but the FIA will gather the 10 teams to take measures that will reduce the tendency of cars to exhibit such phenomena in the medium term.
The FIA has decided to intervene after consulting its doctors, in the interest of the safety of the drivers. In a sport where competitors usually race at speeds exceeding 300 km/h, it is considered that a driver’s full concentration should be focused on this task and that excessive fatigue or pain could have significant consequences if it resulted in a loss of concentration. Furthermore, the FIA is concerned about the immediate physical impact on the drivers’ health, as a number of them have reported back pain following the recent Grand Prix races.
