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Formula one teams have lost the ability to censor pit radio messages during official track sessions.
Recently, the sport’s broadcasting officials gained access to the radio feeds, but the pitwall retained the ability to press a button to censor certain messages.
Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reports that, as of this weekend’s Hockenheim event, all radio broadcasts will be eligible to for the worldwide television feed.
A short delay will mean that radio messages containing swearing can be edited.
Australia’s Mark Webber said at Hockenheim that if he had doused his “not bad for a number two” comment with colourful language at Silverstone, “maybe it would never have got run”.
Also joking, Red Bull boss Christian Horner said Webber’s comments had been the biggest lesson of the British grand prix.
“Turn the radio off after the race!” he said.
Mercedes’ Ross Brawn, however, has warned that not allowing some control of the radio messages will lead to teams speaking “in code” about important strategic conversations.
A new approach is also being applied to in-race radio conversations between the FIA and the teams, due to the confusion in the wake of Fernando Alonso’s illegal pass on Robert Kubica at Silverstone.
Where previously, race director Charlie Whiting would make recommendations about the competitor’s actions, an actual decision will now be made within 90 seconds and displayed to the team via the pitwall monitor.
Kubica is quoted by Turun Sanomat: “I would have given the place back without being asked — it is my way of thinking.
“There’s no point taking the risk about what happened,” he added.
© RIF | GMM
