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Formula One drivers are set to discuss the issue of porpoising ahead of this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix with Daniel Ricciardo insisting they do not deserve to go through “unnecessary” pain while racing.

The 37-year old is expected to be fit to participate, but it is likely he will have to race through the pain barrier again in his bouncy Mercedes machine.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner claimed Hamilton is under instruction to “bitch” about Mercedes’ porpoising problems in the hope of pushing through a rule change.

Timo Glock insists Lewis Hamilton is now in an unprecedented situation internally with team-mate George Russell, with the Briton described as a “different calibre” for Mercedes.

“No, you can hear it in his voice on the pit radio that certain things don’t make him happy. Things are just not coming together this year,” the former Toyota and Virgin driver told Auto Bild.

“It’s like a chain reaction, and then even a Lewis Hamilton starts to stumble. I also think that a lot is going on in his head because he hasn’t been exposed to such a situation yet.

“Actually, he had his team-mates pretty much under control – but George Russell is a different calibre.

“It remains to be seen how the whole thing will develop when Mercedes maybe starts competing for victories again this year, which I think they will.”

Toto Wolff has said Mercedes are working ‘flat out to close the gap’ to Formula 1 rivals Red Bull and Ferrari ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix.

Mercedes have managed four third-placed finishes this season – one for Lewis Hamilton and three for George Russell – while their rivals have won every race between them.

Ferrari have earned two victories through Charles Leclerc, while defending champion Max Verstappen has claimed five wins for Red Bull and his teammate Sergio Perez has won once.

All three teams have had their share of issues with their cars, but Mercedes have been battling the greatest problems, particularly ‘porpoising’ – when a vehicle bounces up and down.

Max Verstappen has been credited with driving ‘more maturely’ this season, following his Formula 1 title win last year.

Verstappen claimed his first drivers’ championship on the final lap of the 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi, beating Lewis Hamilton in a controversial finish involving the safety car.

The Red Bull driver is known for his aggressive approach, but former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer has praised the 24-year-old for developing as a competitor this year, in which he has won five of the eight races so far.

“Verstappen as reigning champion this year looks to be driving more maturely,” former Renault driver Palmer wrote for the sport’s official website.

Toto Wolff has played down claims that Lewis Hamilton has regressed as a driver, insisting that the Briton is not “losing his ability”.

Hamilton has won a joint-record seven Formula 1 titles, with six of them having come with his current team, Mercedes – including four in a row between 2017 and 2020.

The 37-year-old was one lap away from winning the title in 2021 and has struggled so far this season, but Mercedes team principal Wolff believes that car issues are to blame for Hamilton’s recent underwhelming finishes.

“No, I don’t think it’s like [he is in decline]. He is the best that has ever been,” Wolff told Channel 4, per Planet F1.

Formula One’s regulator has vowed to “reduce or eliminate” porpoising on the advice of its medical team – just days after Lewis Hamilton suffered with severe back pain in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Hamilton, 37, required assistance to get out of his Mercedes after his car bounced up and down at high speed throughout Sunday’s 51-lap race.

Mercedes ran their machines close to the ground in Baku to produce lower downforce.

But the move exaggerated the bouncing, and under the FIA’s new technical directive, Mercedes might be required to raise the ride height of their cars which could further slow them down.