So you were watching a Formula 1 race the other day and the very excited announcer yelled, “Look, the Mercedes car is porpoising!” But as much as you squinted, you couldn’t identify any aquatic mammal-like activity on the part of Lewis Hamilton. Fortunately, this last bit of F1 lingo is relatively easy to remember: porpoise is simply when a car’s aerodynamics cause it to bounce up and down like an airplane in turbulence. Interestingly, Formula 1 drivers haven’t had a porpoise problem in a generation – this very dangerous problem is due to teams struggling to adapt to the new 2022 car.
What is porpoise?
A “porpoise” Formula 1 car generates so much downforce that it gets too close to the track surface for its aerodynamic elements to work. When this happens, it stops creating downforce and quickly rises to a higher ride height. It then creates downforce, descends, and the cycle continues.

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Why is this phenomenon called porpoise? Probably because porpoises like to jump in and out of the water as they swim. Why not do dolphins? beats us. But maybe “porpoise” sounds better.
Don’t let the cute porpoise name fool you. It is an incredibly dangerous phenomenon. If a Formula 1 car loses downforce during a tight corner, it will fly off the track.
Even when the driver manages to keep a car on the track, they risk serious injury or nerve damage from constant punishment. The aforementioned Lewis Hamilton said of the porpoise: “I just got through that race on adrenaline, biting my teeth through the pain. I cannot express the pain you experience, especially here on the straight.
Read more about what drivers are saying about the porpoise.
Why are the 2022 Formula 1 cars a porpoise?
Formula 1 cars are brand new for the 2022 season. Instead of generating downforce with just a front and rear wing, the new cars create much of their downforce with an aerodynamic “floor” under the car. This new element has proven so effective that it is lowering the car too much and cutting off its own airflow.

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The FIA, which organizes Formula 1, seeks to close the gap between the fastest and the slowest teams. It returned to “ground effect” downforce for the 2022 season to reduce turbulence behind Formula 1 cars and make overtaking easier. This aerodynamic floor has proven to be very effective and the races are closer than ever.
At the same time, the FIA is limiting the amount each team can spend on materials and research and development. This spending cap leaves even the wealthiest teams struggling to adjust to the new car design. This one-two punch is why last year’s leading manufacturer (Mercedes) is struggling to make as much or more than everyone else.
Is there a solution to porpoise?
The easiest way to prevent a Formula 1 car from getting too low and drifting is to increase its ride height. But teams resist this solution because the higher a Formula 1 car’s default ride height, the slower it must drive around the track.

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Another possible solution could be the adaptive hydraulic suspension. Such a system would allow a Formula 1 car to start the race at a competitively low ride height. It could then “stiffen” as the car’s downforce increases and threatens to drop too close to the track, according to Top Gear.
Unfortunately, the FIA found that hydraulic dampers create too much turbulence behind the car and banned them for the 2022 season. Creating such a system would also put pressure on the budget limits of most teams. So for the 2022 season, teams will have to find a different solution to their race cars bobbing like porpoises.
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