Azerbaijan Grand Prix

George Russell says nothing off table as Mercedes tackle porpoising

Ewan Gale Wednesday 15 June 2022 12:44

George Russell says nothing off table as Mercedes tackle porpoising

George Russell says Mercedes remains open to ditching its zeropod aerodynamic concept after a weekend of porpoising pain at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The British driver began the weekend by calling for F1 and the FIA to review the technical regulations, citing difficulties in completing four years of racing with such aggressive bouncing as oscillations are transmitted through a driver's spine.

In the race, team-mate Lewis Hamilton gingerly climbed from his W13 in visible discomfort.

Whilst Russell and Hamilton finished third and fourth, the fact two positions were gained through Ferrari's reliability failures means that the team is unable to claim the performance of the car is worth the pain.

Russell on Mercedes options

Asked whether a switch from the current aerodynamic philosophy remained on the cards, Russell replied: I think we've got to stay open-minded about everything and go about things logically, analytically, and I think nothing's off the table at this stage.

"And ultimately, we're just trying to deliver a car that is the fastest over a lap. I mean, the porpoising has not been that bad this weekend.

"We've barely had any issues, it’s just the ride and running very close to the ground to get as much performance as possible.

"But as I said, at the moment, we're struggling to unlock that. So, as I said, open-minded and nothing's off the table."

Latest News

F1 Off The Track

Where to buy 2025 Red Bull F1 merch as seen on Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda

1 hour ago

Miami Grand Prix

F1 2025 Miami Grand Prix weather forecast - Latest as thundershowers hit South Florida

3 hours ago

Latest F1 News

Verstappen 'would win in a tractor' as incredible Ferrari test confirmed

Today 12:56

F1 News & Gossip

F1 champion confirmed for stunning team return

Today 11:59

F1 Today

F1 News Today: Verstappen and FIA chief in heated debate as investigation launched over GP chaos

Today 11:18

F1 News & Gossip

Sebastian Vettel reputation is 'nonsense' says former F1 team boss

Today 10:58

More news

F1 Race Calendar 2025

GP AUSTRALIA 14 - 14 Mar

GP BAHRAIN 11 - 11 Apr

Oscar Piastri

GP SAUDI ARABIA 18 - 18 Apr

Oscar Piastri

GP USA 2 - 2 May

GP ITALY 16 - 16 May

GP MONACO 23 - 23 May

GP SPAIN 30 - 30 May

GP CANADA 13 - 13 Jun

GP AUSTRIA 27 - 27 Jun

Complete kalender 2025

F1 News 24/7

Races

About GPFans

GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.

We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.

With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.

Follow us on your favorite social media channel

Corporate & Media

Innovatieweg 20C
7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860

CHOOSE YOUR COUNTRY