Formula 1 teams underestimated the difficulties they would encounter with their new cars ‘porpoising’, Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has said.
Binotto believes whichever team is first to master the problem posted by F1’s new rules will reap dividends in the opening races.
The ‘porpoising’ phenomenon was common to teams in the early eighties when powerful ‘ground effect’ aerodynamics were last permitted in F1. New rules for 2022 have given teams more freedom to generate downforce using their floors.
However some have discovered the downforce generated by the underside of their cars can increase to a point were the airflow stalls. At this point downforce is rapidly lost, after which it begins to return. The grip generated by the car therefore varies, presenting a serious problem if the driver is cornering, and giving an uncomfortable ride the rest of the time.
“I think most of us at least underestimated the problem on track,” Binotto admitted. “We are bouncing…