Lewis Hamilton had a hard time getting out of the car. Pierre Gasly doesn’t want to walk with a cane when he turns 30 and George Russell warns that it’s only a matter of time before a real accident occurs.
Now drivers are worried about their health.
The change of the new rule caused a lot of problems for the porpoises, that is, the cars jump and bounce forward. It has caused many drivers to react and openly show concern for their health. According to Mercedes team manager Toto Wolff, it was about his drivers who had to put up with forces at around 6G. Lewis Hamilton was completely exhausted having finished fourth after 51 laps on the 6km city track in Baku.
– I’ve seen pictures of Louis that didn’t look good. “I think it’s not just a muscle problem but it’s getting into the skeletal system,” Toto Wolff tells Skye.
Lewis Hamilton noted during the race that he was suffering from severe back pain and after the finish he struggled to get out of the car.
– I had to bite, because of the pain and the adrenaline. I can’t say how much damage was done to him, but the worst was in the right direction, he tells Sky.
– In the end, you only need to ask that it ends at some point.
Lewis Hamilton drives his car in pain
Hamilton is not the only driver with problems. During a drivers’ meeting in Baku, the drivers discussed the situation and all but one were in favor of trying to make a change.
– I’m risking my health here, says AlphaTauris Pierre Gasly for www.motorpot-total.com.
He did his best race of the season and finished fifth, but he also drove with terrible pain in his body.
– Never seen this bad in Baku. I have been very tense in muscles all weekend. Every morning, the neck and upper body were stiff, he says.
I have big problems with the discs in my back. This is about my health.
Gasly points out that he’s now a racing driver and if he has to struggle with it, he does, although he might say something else when he’s 45-50 years old. He also says the drivers have spoken to the FIA about the problem.
– We asked them to find a solution so that we don’t have to go with a stick when we are in our thirties, he says and continues.
– In addition, the side mirrors vibrate properly, which makes the view very bad. Sometimes the car also moves on its own because the steering wheel is shaking. It is not easy when we are driving at high speeds.
Lewis Hamilton is not alone in his problems
In Baku, cars reach 350 km / h and during the next week, in Canada, they go about the same speed, and then the rebound called porpoises can be at least a big problem. George Russell, Mercedes, has gone so far as to call it a safety hazard.
It’s hard to tell where the brakes are at the end of the straight line, he says.
– It is only a matter of time before we see an incident caused by this. I fear it will be a disaster. I don’t think we can continue with these rules for three or four years. It’s very dangerous.
To find a solution this year, or next year, eight teams out of ten must agree. It is not an easy task because each person takes care of his or her best interests.
short news
Max Verstappen now has 150 points, 21 points ahead of teammate Sergio Perez and 34 points ahead of Charles Leclerc. For Ferrari, it was the first time since 2020 that both cars had broken down and for Leclerc it’s very difficult. Four pole positions in many races, but not a single victory. On the other hand, two broken races and one the team lost in the warehouse.
You can read more about the Ferrari Nightmare here.
“I’m more than disappointed”
Leclerc interacts with its own DNF in Baku#AzerbaijanGP # F1 pic.twitter.com/lmpaBUnBYn
– Formula 1 (@F1) June 12 2022
Monegasken is now in its third engine. This makes Helmut Marko rub his hands.
– This will probably be the third engine he has to run now, it means he has to change once or maybe twice more, and then there will be penalties in the beginning, Marko said when questioned by Sky.
Quite frankly. sever tape? Adhesive tape?
My amazing dad used it most of the time – but he wasn’t about fixing any cars. Lawn mower, boat and hose of course. F1 men: a? barely.
Make repairs on Yuki’s car 👀#AzerbaijanGP # F1 pic.twitter.com/IQYMLhbGWW
– Formula 1 (@F1) June 12 2022
Sebastian Vettel drove sixth in Baku. It wasn’t just his T-shirt in Russian and his statement for free love in “The Situation” that made the headlines this week.
Marcus Ericsson finished second at Road America and took back the lead in IndyCar. Felix Rosenqvist took sixth place.
You can read more about it here.
IndyCar now has a short break until July 3.