The only channel of communication between race management and a Formula 1 team was, for many years, the figure of the sporting director , however, the publication of radio messages between the FIA and the different teams through television broadcasting revealed that the crew chiefs were also in conversation with Michael Masi .
This 2021 campaign, F1 and the FIA agreed that the FOM could teach the fans the communications between Masi and the teams, in order to benefit the show.
The first time the category showed off this was at the Spanish Grand Prix, with a conversation between Mercedes and the race director, but as the season progressed, spectators heard Toto Wolff or Christian Horner slip into the radios, rather than their respective sporting directors, Ron Meadows at Mercedes and Jonathan Wheatley at Red Bull.
This channel of communication was used to influence Masi’s decision-making during the race, as happened in Saudi Arabia or Abu Dhabi , two of the most controversial events between the teams running for the title.
In the last grand prix of 2021, Horner asked that the lapped cars between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton be allowed to go to the safety car, while Wolff showed his anger with Masi when the overtaking event that decided the world championship took place.
Following the race, Formula 1 CEO Ross Brawn suggested that these communications with the race director by team bosses not be allowed to be made.
“I agree with Ross,” Wolff said when asked by Motorsport.com. “But I also blame Ross, and myself, because we have been part of the decision-making to broadcast more radios in order to be transparent and increase entertainment for fans.”
“There are so many things that happen on the radio that publishing a part of the dramas that happen to the viewers, like that the car is breaking down or that we are discussing a strategy, was a good thing. But I think we are overdoing it,” he said. Mercedes boss.
“I have to take myself and Christian as examples. We were given the chance to speak to the race director directly, and because we fought so hard during the year for our interests, we overdid it.”
“It was one of the failures of this season, under this pressure from the team bosses, the race director’s life was not easy,” he acknowledged. Wolff also said that not only should communications between team managers and Masi be banned, but also talks with sporting directors should be limited.
“We have to go back. I think that the bosses should not talk directly with the race director, they have to be the sports directors, but I will go one step further, I think they cannot have the possibility of putting pressure on the race director himself,” he said. .
“They should point out situations that have happened, to the race director or to their closest people, but not band together to exert pressure,” Wolff concluded.
