Official: FIA issues Technical Directive to combat porpoising amid driver health. FIA issues Technical Directive to combat porpoising.

Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA, has officially confirmed a Technical Directive with the goal of improving driver safety after the recent debate regarding the aerodynamic bouncing. This problem has been present in Formula 1 since the start of the current season as a result of the ground effect which has returned after the introduction of the new and rules and technical regulations.

The issue has affected some sides more than others, as Mercedes seemes to be most affected, especially at bumpier circuits which have lengthier full-throttle sections.

Here is the full press release:

“A Technical Directive has been issued to give guidance to the teams about the measures the FIA intends to take to tackle the problem. These include:

1. Closer scrutiny of the planks and skids, both in terms of their design and the observed wear
2. The definition of a metric, based on the car’s vertical acceleration, that will give a quantitative limit for acceptable level of vertical oscillations. The exact mathematical formula for this metric is still being analysed by the FIA, and the Formula 1 teams have been invited to contribute to this process.”

The FIA outlined that a technical meeting will be held with teams in order to “define measures that will reduce the propensity of cars to exhibit such phenomena in the medium term.

“The FIA has decided to intervene following consultation with its doctors in the interests of safety of the drivers.

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“In a sport where the competitors are routinely driving at speeds in excess of 300km/h, it is considered that all of a driver’s concentration needs to be focused on that task and that excessive fatigue or pain experienced by a driver could have significant consequences should it result in a loss of concentration.

“In addition, the FIA has concerns in relation to the immediate physical impact on the health of the drivers, a number of whom have reported back pain following recent events.”