F1 | Canadian GP | Franz Tost believes if the porposing is too “difficult” for F1 drivers then “they should stay at home... "
Franz Tost of Alpha Tauri
After a number of complaints were received from the F1 drivers regarding the porpoising issue after the Baku race, the FIA responded with a Technical Directive that was implemented over the Candian Grand Prix weekend.
The new Technical Directive affects the teams differently and the team principals have dissimilar views regarding what direction the FIA should take regarding the porpoising problems.
In regards to the Technical Directive, Tost expressed a matter-of-fact attitude towards the new changes and safety of the drivers.
“When this new regulation was created, it was clear from the very beginning onwards that these cars will not be easy to drive. Why? Because this floor, with a kind of Venturi principle makes it necessary that the cars are set-up quite stiff; that the cars are quite close to the surface and that the front and rear ride-height is quite low.”
The AlphaTauri boss also believes that the drivers should do more training to combat the negative effects of porpoising.
“On one hand, I can understand, it's not so easy for them. On the other hand, this is a Formula 1 car...”
“First of all, the drivers must do more training for the neck muscles and for the gluteus maximus, then this helps, for sure. Yeah. And the FIA is coming now with this new Technical Directive, which, of course, will help to find out how big are the forces. And then when they create these metrics, then maybe we can find a way to reduce the bouncing, and the forces which are coming to the drivers.”
“How much this can be controlled, I don't know yet. We, from Scuderia AlphaTauri will support the FIA. We will give them the datas and then we will see what will be the result.
Not holding back on his opinion, Tost urges drivers to stay at home if they can’t handle the pain from the bouncing and porpoising on the current F1 cars.
“But this is a Formula 1 car. This is not a Rolls Royce. And drivers should be aware of this. And if the cars are too stiff, or it's too difficult for them, maybe they should stay at home, in the living room, sit in the chair, and then they can do the races on TV or wherever. I don't know.
