F1: Max Verstappen implies Mercedes had hand in new FIA rule

Max Verstappen and George Russell had contrasting reactions to the FIA's latest directive regarding the porpoising and bouncing issues faced by teams this season. The Red Bull Racing driver has implied that Mercedes' constant complaining has influenced the F1 governing body to intervene.

The FIA issued a directive ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix on Thursday owing to multiple health and safety complaints from the drivers. A task force has been set up to monitor a threshold for the "acceptable level of vertical oscillations", using a formula that is yet to be determined.

The rule is expected to favour Red Bull more than Mercedes, but Verstappen feels it is unfair for the FIA to introduce a new rule midway through the season. Mercedes are the most affected by porpoising and bouncing owing to the new design regulations, but a number of teams have found solutions to manage it.

"I think it's a bit disappointing that again there is a rule change mid-season, I would say," Verstappen said, as quoted on RN365. "It's not even about affecting us more or less than other teams, but it shouldn't be that one team is complaining a lot and suddenly then they change the regs around it."

"I think there are a lot of teams that actually did an amazing job to not have these kind of issues, so it is possible to drive around it," he added. "If you raise your car then you won't have these issues, but you lose performance."

"But if you can't design the car properly for that then that's your fault, it's not the regs' fault. For me that is a bit of a shame."

Russell, meanwhile, was the most vocal about the issue, and implored the FIA to act after suggesting that a serious incident was just around the corner. The Mercedes driver has commended the governing body for acting quickly, and issuing a directive to help prevent serious injury to one of the drivers.

"It's promising to see that they've made action on this straight away and it's not taken them weeks and months and political decisions to change something like this," Russell said, as quoted by the Daily Express.

"When it comes to safety, things need to be resolved ASAP. So I'm pleasantly - not surprised to see it come in so quick - but I think it's good for everyone."