The bouncing phenomenon has returned to F1 as a result of the new ground effect cars being developed to improve racing.
While some teams have managed to get a better handle on the matter, Mercedes is one of the teams that has suffered the most.
And aside from the competitive compromises the porpoise foisted on Mercedes, Russell has admitted he’s now pushing the pain threshold.
Speaking about how his W13 feels in the cockpit after the Emilia Romagna GP, Russell said: “When the car is in the right hand window and the tires are in the right hand window, apart from the jumping, the car feels really good at.
“But the hopping really takes your breath away. It’s the most extreme thing I’ve ever felt.
“I really hope that we find a solution and I hope that every team that is struggling with jumping finds a solution because it is not sustainable for the riders to continue.
“This is the first weekend that I’ve really been struggling with my back and almost like chest pains from the severity of the impact.
“It’s just what we have to do to set the fastest laps.”
George Russell, Mercedes W13, makes a pit stop
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Despite the pain he was in, Russell managed to bring his car home fourth at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after fending off a late attack from Valtteri Bottas’ Alfa Romeo behind him.
A year after the massive crash the pair had while fighting for the position, Russell admitted he was reflecting on that incident as they battled wheel-to-wheel.
“In any case, I remembered a bit from last year,” he said.
“We had a problem on the pit stop, we couldn’t get the front flap in the car and it was just massive understeer and the front right just fell to pieces, it was so far out of bed with the set up.
“So I just had to make it and be ready to defend myself at the end. This track here is such a great track, so much character, but it’s just impossible to race. Especially with these mixed conditions, an opportunity to overtake, a dry line, there’s nothing you can do.”
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