What Is Porpoising in F1? The Bouncing Problem Explained

Porpoising is a phenomenon where a Formula 1 car bounces rapidly up and down at high speed, named after the way a porpoise leaps in and out of the water. It is caused by the car’s aerodynamic floor generating so much downforce at speed that the car is sucked very close to the ground, which then stalls the airflow, causes downforce to collapse, and the car bounces back up — only for the cycle to repeat. Porpoising became a major issue when ground effect cars returned in 2022 and was a significant safety concern.

Example: You can see the car porpoising heavily on that long straight — the driver will be getting a severe battering in the cockpit.