Lewis Hamilton relief at DRS changes after "ridiculous" issues

Hamilton, Mercedes — Photo: © LAT Images

Australian Grand Prix

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Hamilton relief at DRS changes after "ridiculous" issues

The change came ahead of Saturday's running

Ewan Gale & Will Gray

Saturday 9 April 2022 12:45

Lewis Hamilton has expressed his relief at the removal of the DRS zone ahead of turn nine after experiencing "ridiculous" issues ahead of Saturday's running.

Mercedes has struggled more than its rivals with the porpoising phenomenon when travelling at high speed, with the issues costing the team dearly in performance.

The removal of the DRS zone, reducing the total number of opportunities to use the device to three per lap, came just before final practice.

Addressing the change, Hamilton said: “I think it was good that they took the DRS off.

"We had so much porpoising down that back straight that I had an oversteer problem in the middle of the straight!

"I was like, ‘this is ridiculous’ but it wasn’t the case today.”

Hamilton 'doesn't understand' Ferrari pace

Despite experiencing similar bouncing issues, Ferrari was able to take a second pole position of the year courtesy of Charles Leclerc, with Hamilton able to qualify fifth, a second adrift of the Monégasque's pace.

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“I don’t understand it and I don’t think anyone does," explained Hamilton when asked why the Scuderia was able to cope with the porpoising better than Mercedes.

"I wish ours was the same but it’s not.”

On where he does not feel happy with the car, he joked: “Everywhere!.

"No, I mean, in some places it doesn’t feel terrible. It’s just not as fast as the others," he added.

“Where we are really unhappy is with the porpoising. That really is the worst characteristic I have experienced and we can’t get rid of it at the moment.”