Ferrari chief furious with F1 bosses and demands talks over ….read more
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has expressed his frustration with Formula 1’s media division (FOM) regarding the selective broadcasting of radio messages during the Chinese Grand Prix. Vasseur is particularly upset with the omission of key moments from Lewis Hamilton’s radio exchanges with his race engineer, Riccardo Adami. The incident has prompted Vasseur to demand a discussion with FOM over their handling of race radio transmissions.
During the Chinese Grand Prix, Hamilton was struggling with the pace of his car and communicated to his team that he was willing to swap positions with his Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc, in order to help Leclerc chase down George Russell, who was ahead. On lap 18, Hamilton said, “I think I’m gonna let Charles go because I’m struggling.” However, this message was not aired by FOM. In the following laps, Hamilton and Adami discussed the swap further, with Adami suggesting a position change at Turn 14, to which Hamilton responded, “I will when he’s closer.”
Hamilton also mentioned, “If he can’t get the cars ahead, he can let us… out his way. Right now, I’m closing up a little bit,” showing his frustration with the situation. Adami then asked, “Do we want to swap this now?” and Hamilton’s response was clear: “I’ll tell you when we’re going to swap.” These exchanges were broadcasted, but Hamilton’s initial offer to let Leclerc pass was not. Vasseur sees this as an issue, feeling that FOM selectively aired only part of the radio conversation to create a narrative that played up the drama of the situation.
In the aftermath of the race, Vasseur made his discontent known, suggesting that FOM’s editing of the radio messages was a deliberate attempt to stir controversy. “I think this is a joke from FOM,” Vasseur said, criticizing how the media division only chose to broadcast the latter part of the conversation, which made the situation appear more dramatic. According to Vasseur, this misrepresentation overlooked the fact that Hamilton had initially offered to swap positions with Leclerc, which could have changed the way the incident was perceived by the public.
Vasseur’s comments have raised concerns over the level of control FOM has over the portrayal of team dynamics during races. The Ferrari boss has already initiated contact with FOM, expressing his dissatisfaction and requesting a discussion about how race radio messages are handled and broadcast. While this issue might seem minor on the surface, it touches on broader questions of media manipulation and the role of broadcasters in shaping the public’s understanding of the sport.
This incident highlights the growing influence of broadcast media in F1, where every detail of the race is carefully curated to maximize viewer engagement. The selective airing of radio messages can significantly impact how fans perceive the relationships and strategies within teams, as well as the personalities of the drivers involved. Vasseur’s demand for talks with FOM indicates that Ferrari is not satisfied with the way their team’s actions were portrayed, and he hopes to address this issue moving forward to ensure fairer and more transparent coverage of the team’s communications.
The controversy surrounding the radio messages from the Chinese Grand Prix is just one example of how F1’s media and communication strategies can spark tension between teams, broadcasters, and the governing bodies of
the sport.
