Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, described the team’s performance during the Belgian Grand Prix as a “vicious cycle” due to their ongoing struggle with bouncing issues at high speeds. The aerodynamic phenomenon known as “porpoising” has been a challenge for Mercedes, and despite rule changes to ride height, the team is still grappling with it this season.
In Sunday’s race at Spa, Lewis Hamilton managed a fourth-place finish, while George Russell secured sixth place. However, both drivers found it difficult to make significant progress on the frontrunners due to the car’s bouncing behavior on high-speed straights.
Wolff explained that the car was “bouncing literally every straight,” leading to overheating of the tires during braking and creating a frustrating cycle of performance limitations.
The team’s inability to address the bouncing issue impacted their overall performance during the race, leaving them unable to challenge the frontrunners as they had hoped. Hamilton, in particular, had to lift at Blanchimont, a corner that is typically taken flat out, due to the bouncing.
Despite Max Verstappen’s exceptional performance as the race winner, Wolff acknowledged that the second Red Bull car, driven by Sergio Perez, was closer to the Silver Arrows in terms of performance. He emphasized that without Verstappen in the equation, Mercedes and Red Bull would be engaged in close and exciting racing.
However, Wolff also acknowledged the reality of the stopwatch, which does not lie, and conceded that Verstappen’s dominance is the key factor they need to address. He recognized that Red Bull and Mercedes seem to be on similar development routes, but Verstappen’s performance puts him in a league of his own.
Wolff’s takeaway from the race is clear: Mercedes must find a solution to the bouncing issue and close the gap to Verstappen’s exceptional performance. The team will analyze the data and work to understand the problem better in the hopes of making necessary improvements. As the season progresses, the battle between Mercedes and Red Bull will continue, with both teams striving to claim victory in a fiercely competitive Formula 1 season.
