Lewis Hamilton says he was running an experimental part on his Mercedes W13 for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, resulting in him bouncing more severely than teammate George Russell. The seven-time World Champion ended the race in fourth, just behind his younger colleague following a race in which he complained of severe back pain. That pain was caused by his car bouncing as an experimental part failed to deliver results. He was not alone, however, with support among drivers said to be growing for the FIA to find a fix for the bouncing problems. "That was the most painful race I have experienced, the toughest race," he told media in Baku, including RacingNews365.com . "George didn't have the same bouncing that I had, he had a lot less bouncing. I had an experimental part on the car and a different rear suspension. "Ultimately, it was the wrong one."
Hamilton feels bouncing is a serious safety risk
Hamilton thinks that the severe bouncing is a safety concern, and has suggested that he came close on multiple occasions to losing control of his car down Baku's long straight. "There were a lot of moments where I didn't know if I was gonna make it [to the end]," he continued. "The battle with the car was intense. The thing was bouncing so much that there were so many times that I was nearly going into the wall, so that was a concern, safety-wise. "At 180 miles per hour, smashing into the wall, I don't think I've really ever had to think about that too much as a racing driver." Hamilton believes that the promuse of the W13 will be difficult to unlock if a solution cannot be found for the bouncing issue. "There is so much potential in this car but we can't unlock it at all until we stop this bouncing," the Briton added, before admitting: "I'd do anything to avoid having that [bouncing again]."
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