F1 teams now ‘thinking twice’ about broadcasted radio complaints
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff’s complaint about Nikita Mazepin at the Spanish Grand Prix m🐽arked the first use of F1’s new broadcast addition to share messages betwe𝔍en the teams and race control.
The feature has b🏅een well received by fans but has resulted in fewer radio communications between team𒆙s’ pitwalls and race control, according to Masi.
“I th🐬ink, 𝓰to be fair, each sporting team, and it’s no different in F1, will utilise the radio knowing that it’s there,” Masi said after the Styrian Grand Prix.
“It’s been there 🦋for many years, obviou🎉sly it’s just broadcast now.
“If anything, knowing now that the teams know that it’s broadcast, it’s actually probably reduced the radio traffic in race control and, from the team’s perspective, making𝕴 them probably think twice before they ask a questiཧon.”
After Valtteri Bottas spun in the pitlane during second prꦺactice at last weekend’s Styrian Grand Prix, McLaren’s team manager Paul James complained to Masi in a message that was broadcast.
Bottas ended up receiving a three-place grid penalty for the incident, leading the Finn to claim “everyone is always trying to screw you over in this sport” and leaving Wolff unimꦍpressed.
Speaking about t𒅌he incident, Wolff said he found it "highly entertaining how quickly some sporti♑ng directors jump on the channel to Masi and come with Armageddon scenarios.”
He added: “It’s good that these chan🅘nels are now opened up so we can a🔜ll have a laugh.”
However, Masi confirmed the spin would have been investigate♍d without McLaren’s intervention and said the stewards do not hear the broadcasted communications.
“The stewards don’t actually hear any of those communications between myself and🧸 the teams, and don’t hear the commentary of the races either,” Masi said. “So they’re not aware of that s🉐ide of it in any way, shape or form.
“In those types of situations, 𓂃when incidents like that happen, we go straight up on the screen and put that it’s ‘under investigation’ or ‘noted’ or whatever it may be t﷽o tell everyone in the pit lane what’s happening.
“But to be fair with what that incident was, even if McLaren hadn’t said anything, I would have asked the st🎃ewards to investigate that.”
Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix for mahbx.com around the☂ world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.
