The subject of discussion during the meeting at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was the announced measure by the motorsport federation FIA regarding the bouncing of Formula 1 cars. In short, teams whose car moves up and down too much should raise the ride height to ensure the safety of their driver.
Mercedes called the loudest for measures a week earlier in Baku, but the outcome of the FIA seems to hit that struggling team the hardest at first glance. Wolff was furious during the meeting, according to multiple sources, but fell out with many other team bosses, who said Mercedes could simply raise the ride height to solve the problem.
“In this sport everyone is trying to gain an advantage, but the situation has gone too far”
Wolff even calls the attitude of colleagues ‘annoying’ and ‘dishonest’. There was some commotion in Canada about a modified floor at Mercedes, shortly after the announcement of the new FIA guideline. Mercedes denied having had any prior knowledge about the new regulations, but removed the second floor again on Saturday.
“In this sport everyone is trying to gain an advantage, but the situation has gone too far. There are team bosses who try to manipulate things and play political games,” said Wolff. “It’s not just us who suffer from the bounce. In Baku that was true for a lot of teams and drivers, the cars are just too stiff. It’s about security risks. If there are then small manipulations in the background, I think that’s just pathetic.”
Sergio Pérez gets out of his car.
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Wolff continues: ,,Of course people are now asking whether my position is sincere or not. But Red Bull driver Pérez has also complained, or drivers from other teams. It is not the problem of one team. This is due to the design of the cars with the current ground effect and that needs to be addressed. And just raising the ride height doesn’t solve that stiffness.”