Drivers anticipate the conclusion of sessions as the ground-effect era comes to a close.

      The current generation of ground-effect cars from 2022 to 2025 is nearing its conclusion, and the drivers are eagerly anticipating its end. Max Verstappen, who has largely dominated this period, is particularly relieved to see it go. "It hasn’t been comfortable at all in recent years," he shared with Dutch media. "My back suffers, and my feet hurt constantly. Physically, this hasn’t been pleasant. Scans also show concerning results."

      He expressed a willingness to revert to the style of F1 before 2022. "We are aware of what the circumstances were like before and what they could be like again. I would prefer to go back to how it was in 2015 and 2016," said the four-time world champion.

      FIA single-seater chief Nikolas Tombazis acknowledged that the extreme rigidity of the current cars was unexpected. "The primary issue is that the cars are very low and extremely stiff," he stated. "This is something we did not foresee with this generation of cars. We anticipated that the cars would be slightly softer to enhance mechanical grip."

      George Russell from Mercedes highlighted the severity of the situation, mentioning that the team prohibited their designers from experiencing the simulator's replay mode. "We considered having one of our designers in the cockpit to understand what it felt like in Baku," he explained. "However, health and safety deemed it too risky. After an hour and a half of driving, we were shaking all over. I couldn't even make out the braking boards in Vegas."

      Many drivers reported similar concerns. Lewis Hamilton, who has frequently voiced complaints about back pain, also expressed his relief that this era is coming to a close. "Yes, I think we're all looking forward to saying goodbye to these cars," he stated. Carlos Sainz from Williams concurred, saying, "It’s not in my nature to drive these cars the way I've had to. I had to relearn skills I never thought I would need. I’m glad it’s finished."