Lewis Hamilton: Toto Wolff makes worrying admission about Mercedes man

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has issued a worrying message to reporters, stating that seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, and other drivers, could risk brain damage due to porpoising.

The Mercedes camp have been working on a remedy for the bouncing car all campaign, with drivers Hamilton and newly instated George Russell victims of the issue, and the pair have consequently fallen behind in the race for driver and constructor glory.

Porpoising is a racing term attributed to the bouncing effect when cars achieve high speeds combined with ground effect, creating a motion likened to a porpoise through water.

The issues have been heightened considerably during the current race season, with radical changes to the rules resulting in porpoising turning up a notch, which does not bode well for the drivers.

Wolff said: “I still believe that the FIA and all of us must do something about it.

“Frequencies of 1 to 2 hertz that last for a few minutes can cause brain damage. We have 6 to 7 hertz for several hours.”

The issues with porpoising have plateaued across recent races, with smoother tracks in Canada, Britain, Austria, France and Hungary all contributing to a stark upturn in form for Hamilton, who has now clinched five successive podium finishes.

And with the summer break now in full swing, with the Belgian Grand Prix the next to take place at the end of August, the FIA have confirmed that minor alterations are underway to rectify the issue and alleviate the strain certain drivers are beset with – with further technical changes to continue over the off-season.

Not everyone appears happy with the changes, however, with Red Bull and Ferrari concerned over a loss of pace as a consequence of the porpoising adjustments.

Red Bull