
The latest Ferrari team radio messages continue to stir controversy. New criticism and some advice are being directed at both the drivers and the pit wall.
It’s not the first time that the team radios of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, with their respective Ferrari race engineers, have come under scrutiny. The most recent case involves the Monegasque driver and Bryan Bozzi during the Canadian GP.
During the tenth round of the championship, Charles Leclerc made no attempt to hide his frustration over the team’s chosen strategy. The Ferrari pit wall opted for a two-stop race despite Charles Leclerc pointing out the good condition of the tyres and suggesting extending the stint to try a one-stop strategy. The team radio was broadcast and drew attention from viewers.
Christian Danner’s advice
According to former F1 driver Christian Danner, drivers should limit disputes over team radio since they are aired by FOM. In an interview with Motorsport Magazine.com, the former driver said: “Well, if I were the team principal, I’d say: ‘Watch out guys, I don’t want to hear these smug remarks and arguments anymore.’ Period. It’s just ridiculous when there’s constant back and forth. Charles Leclerc’s exchange with his engineer was insane.”
Christian Danner pointed out that some discussions should take place elsewhere, not during the race: “If I know I’m going to be on TV, then I have to think very carefully about whether I should just not press the radio button. That’s my advice to everyone involved.”
As a former driver himself, Christian Danner is familiar with the internal dynamics of an F1 team, and he added another suggestion: “The fact that discrepancies or disagreements sometimes arise is perfectly normal. But in that case, you don’t press the button — you say, ‘We’ll talk about it later.’ I don’t like to say it, because obviously I have a driver’s soul. You can judge certain things from the cockpit, but you obviously have to leave the decision-making authority to those who can see everything. Yes, I can contribute information, but the department decides.” – the former Formula 1 driver concluded.






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