George Russell: Mercedes Blocked 'Too Dangerous' Plan to Show Designer Car's Brutality

George Russell revealed a telling anecdote about the physical brutality of the ground-effect cars: he and Lewis Hamilton once asked to put a Mercedes designer in a simulator to experience the violent porpoising, only for the request to be shut down by the team's health and safety officer as "too dangerous." The story highlights the extreme conditions drivers endured over the past four seasons, which Russell is glad to see the back of as F1 prepares for a major regulatory shift in 2026.

Why it matters:

This incident provides a concrete, behind-the-scenes look at the severity of the porpoising issue that plagued the ground-effect era. It moves beyond driver complaints and demonstrates a reality so intense that team leadership acknowledged it as a genuine safety risk, validating the physical toll the cars took on the grid.

The details:

• Russell and Hamilton wanted to use a special rig that replays suspension data from a lap to give a chief designer a taste of the aggressive bouncing in Baku.
• The plan was vetoed by the team's health and safety officer, underscoring the genuine danger of the forces involved.
• Russell described the physical effects, saying drivers were "shaken all over the place" and that it impacted their "back, body, and eyes."
• He recalled a specific instance in Las Vegas where he couldn't see brake markers at 240 mph because the car was hitting the ground so violently, adding that "half the grid" had the same issue.
• Despite the brutal conditions, Russell excelled, outscoring Hamilton in two of their three seasons together and considering 2025 his strongest and most consistent year.

What's next:

The sport is now moving on from the ground-effect era to a completely new set of regulations for 2026. The upcoming cars will be lighter, more agile, and feature active aerodynamics, designed to reduce the physical strain on drivers while creating a new competitive landscape. Russell and new teammate Kimi Antonelli will be at the forefront of Mercedes' efforts to challenge for titles under these new rules.