Hamilton on current car: “Like a rattlesnake”

“I would say that this vehicle era is the worst I've ever experienced in terms of 'porpoising'. To explain to viewers at home: The ride height is constantly changing, up and down, up and down,” said the Mercedes driver in Australia. “It's like a rattlesnake,” Hamilton described the car.

“Porpoising” or “bouncing” refers to the uncontrolled raising and lowering of Formula 1 cars in the braking zone of straights, which reappeared this year after a change in the technical regulations. The Mercedes racing car is more affected by this phenomenon than other teams. “This means that when you turn, you never know what position the car is in and depending on what position it is in, it will oversteer or understeer. “That makes it a real challenge to drive the car,” explained Hamilton. Mercedes is keeping a low profile Opinions differ as to whether the aerodynamic adjustments are the main cause of the eight-time constructors' champion's loss of performance. The engine also had to be adapted because Formula 1 now uses a different fuel mixture that consists of ten percent renewable waste. According to rival team Red Bull, the explanation that it has to do with gasoline would be “logical,” as consultant Helmut Marko said. Mercedes itself keeps a low profile when it comes to the exact technical background.

Before the third race of the season in Melbourne, team boss Toto Wolff confirmed that they had not given up hope of intervening in the title fight. “If I look at it from a mathematical and probability standpoint, I would say the chances are 20/80. But this is motorsport, and anything can happen in motorsport. As a motorsportsman, I would say it’s probably 40 to 60,” explained the Austrian. “We’re not going to write off the title, but that’s just the current status quo.”

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Hamilton on current car: “Like a rattlesnake”

Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton has not yet come to terms with the new generation of racing cars with changed aerodynamics.

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