Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is greatly encouraged as first morning of testing suggests that the W14 isn't experiencing the bouncing issues suffered by its predecessor.

While slow-motion coverage showed Carlos Sainz to be taking a bit of a pounding on the straights, over at Mercedes George Russell appeared to be having a smoother time of it.

However, later in the session, two wires coming out of the top of the W14's steering wheel suggested that the German team was measuring possible vibrations.

Speaking to reporters during the lunch break, Toto Wolff appeared to put their fears to rest.

"It seems to be balanced in the right way," he said. "There's no bouncing, which is good news... apart from that big bump at the end of the straight.

"We're gathering a lot of data because that was important to correlate obviously after last year, and trying different things," he added. "So a productive first morning."

Referring to last year's test, when it first became clear that there was a problem, Wolff said: "We knew that we were in trouble, the car was just bouncing around and we really weren't able to drive it correctly. So that is very different.

"I think we have a solid base now to work from and try to optimise the car, which we haven't done yet. It's really just finding out are there any areas that could be a real performance hindrance like last year with the bouncing. We've just got to work through the programme."

Asked if he could definitely assure fans that the W14 wasn't bouncing, he said: "We had a little bit of movement in Turn 12, the faster one. But it is not anywhere close to the degree that we had last year, and at this stage not performance limiting."

Indeed, the bumps appeared to cause problems for a number of teams.

"It's not at all as it was one year ago with the car bouncing like a kangaroo," said Frederic Vasseur. "Today we have on some part of the track before turn one, turn 12, it's a bit more bumpy than it was before, but it's a different issue."

Asked if the RB19 had suffered any bouncing, Christian Horner was a dry as ever. "No," he replied, "but we didn't suffer last year so we didn't expect to."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by alvarezh3, 24/02/2023 1:08

"@didaho

Yes, I meant to be sarcastic as he didn't mention the unfavourable effect the lifting produced.

Rising the car made it loose downforce which could induce bad consequences to the rear axle. Eliminating purposing by lifting the car is not necessarily a healthy move, I would not be smiling just yet."

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2. Posted by didaho, 24/02/2023 0:17

"".. with the same or more downforce than last year? "
Ride height increased 15mm by reg."

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3. Posted by alvarezh3, 23/02/2023 22:42

""There's no bouncing".......Good, but with the same or more downforce than last year? Tell us Toto! :-)"

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"There's no bouncing," declares Wolff

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