F1 teams ready to go radio ga ga

As we head into the Singapore Grand Prix the FIA has decided it will crack down on pit to driver radio communication. Charlie Whiting, Formula 1 Race Director, has reminded teams that “the driver must drive the car alone and unaided” as outlined in Article 20.1 of the sporting regulations.

“No radio conversation from pit to driver may include any information that is related to the performance of the car or driver,” Whiting added in his letter to the teams. “We should also remind you that data transmission from pit to car is specifically prohibited by Article 8.5.2 of the F1 Technical Regulations.”

Adam Cooper has seen further correspondence and has a comprehensive list of what can and can’t be said. We’ve included a limited selection of samples below and recommend you follow the source link below for more detail.

What can be said

• Lap or sector time detail.
• Gaps to a competitor during a practice session or race.
• “Push hard,” “push now,” “you will be racing xx,” or similar.
• Number of laps a competitor has done on a set of tyres during a race.
• Information concerning a competitors likely race strategy.
• Dealing with a DRS system failure.
• Driver instructions from the team to swap position with other drivers.

What can’t be said

• Adjustment of power unit settings.
• Adjustment of gearbox settings.
• Information on level of fuel saving needed.
• Start maps related to clutch position, for race start and pit stops.
• Burn-outs prior to race starts.
• Answering a direct question from a driver, eg “Am I using the right torque map?”
• Any message that appears to be coded.

Further topics of prohibited communication will be added to the banned list in time for the Japanese Grand Prix as well. You can certainly expect this new enforcement will be a major talking point over the next couple of races.

[Source: Adam Cooper | Pic: Mercedes AMG]