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George Russell shares surprising ‘good news’ after eye-catching Mercedes test
George Russell joked that the new generation of F1 cars will “save a few years on the back” due to the eradication of porpoising. During the ground-effects era, cars experienced bouncing from the aerodynamic phenomenon of porpoising, causing concerns for drivers like Lewis Hamilton in 2022. The FIA intervened with rule changes during the season to reduce porpoising, but it persisted to a lesser extent by the era’s end. The 2026 cars have eliminated porpoising by no longer requiring the floor to be as close to the track surface for downforce, reintroducing the ‘rake’ feature. With positive feedback on the 2026 cars, Russell completed significant laps during the first week of testing and highlighted the absence of porpoising as a major improvement. Despite the good performance, Russell emphasized the need to assess the car’s speed and expect upcoming changes and upgrades before the next Bahrain test.
