Fia To Ban Performance Help From Pit Radio

[Quiet One 15]

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/208561/1/fia-bans-driver-performance-radio-messages.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss

No more "you are losing time in sector 2" or "you need to brake later in turn 14".

As apparently those kind of messages comprised 80% of the pit radio comms at Merc (judging from the past few races), I think they will have lots and lots of radio silence. I say broadcast some music in those intervals, at least, or perhaps rent those spaces to sponsors: "Nico, that apex you missed? That wouldn't have happened if you had Brembo Brakes. Brembo Brakes, your friendly brakes brand!"

And Massa will crash right at the end of every start straight without somebody telling him how to take a corner.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

But why??? What's wrong with those radio messages? It's a contravention of the rule which says the driver must drive unaided? Well then re-word the rule! It's going to be ambiguous what is allowed and what isn't. And teams will find a way of communicating the same messages to the driver in some other way.

[brambilla 0]

Its a good development, but still too vague. They should bring back the use of the Pit Board, and allow Radio Transmissions only for Emergencies ... and ads along the lines of what the "Quiet One" suggests

[Jem of the Shire 0]

The radio messages form part of 'the show', and I thought the rule-makers were supposed to be obsessed with improving the show. And yet here they are banning a part of it!

[Emmcee 0]

Just gets better and better.

"FIA coming up with new rules for next season"

Which one is Bernie in this picture?

[KoolMonkey 0]

This is a good move I think. How stupid was it to head Smedley teaching and guiding Massa how to drive a car for years on end. Now it's in the stupid category.

They are doing away with radios in the major tours of cycling as well. Which then puts the impetus, skill and tactical awareness squarely on the riders. This is good for F1. However some other things need to occur as well. Namely upping the fuel limits, so that we never have to hear or deal with "fuel saving" again. Then the drivers can race, and sort things out for themselves.

[Emmcee 0]

Yep, funny how its gone full circle, back to before we had those aids.

[Smu3l3y 0]

Whilst on one hand I think the ban is good how the hell is this rule inforcable . Different teams speak in different languages and use code words etc. I can't really see the Fia or the stewards hiring interpreters for all lanugueges etc. and therefore how is this rile truly enforceable. You'll get all the English teams being punished and ferrari will get away with it potentially. This could up being one big controversial mess

[BrisbaneAndy 0]

Apparently any code word will be treated as a breach. It should not be too hard to spot, really.

I think I agree with the ban, let the driver work it out for himself.

One concern is that the Stewards will not be able to work it out on the spot and will resort to reviewing transcripts post race. I hope that is not allowed to influence race results. A grid penalty at the next race would work, but do we really want results determined by radio traffic infringements?

[Emmcee 0]

Apparently any code word will be treated as a breach. It should not be too hard to spot, really.

I think I agree with the ban, let the driver work it out for himself.

One concern is that the Stewards will not be able to work it out on the spot and will resort to reviewing transcripts post race. I hope that is not allowed to influence race results. A grid penalty at the next race would work, but do we really want results determined by radio traffic infringements?

Very good point.

[radical-one 0]

Hopefully this radio ban thingy can result in separating the Real Race car drivers with the Real Cab Drivers that needed directions all the time

[Emmcee 0]

Least we won't hear lewis whinge as much.

[maure 1]

Its a good development, but still too vague. They should bring back the use of the Pit Board, and allow Radio Transmissions only for Emergencies ... and ads along the lines of what the "Quiet One" suggests

Yep. Safety only. In fact, I would remove telemetry from transmissions too. Let them check the data after the race. If it's not safety related, hands off.

The bigger problem, imo, is that it works against the driver in a team that performs better, giving the worst driver real-time data on where he can improve. It is bad enough that the information is leeched at all. But doing it right there and then, sometimes between qualifying laps, is downright insulting to the driver taking the chances and simply driving better.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

Least we won't hear lewis whinge as much.

No ban on driver-to-pit communications, in fact we may hear them all whinging a lot more now that they don't know what's going on!

driver: "the brakes aren't working, I think it's the rears, what's going on?"

team: "we know, but we're just not going to tell you."

This will inevitable create a furore at singapore and sometimes I wonder if the FIA do this on purpose to generate publicity

[Emmcee 0]

Course they do, that's why the driver age is getting younger and younger and some teams like Caterham will take anyone if you can pay the 300k fee for the weekend.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

Well we know the FIA love gimmicks and silly rules and hopefully having Formula E will from now on be the FIA's outlet for getting all these stupid ideas out of their system, so that F1 can be left alone!

[Emmcee 0]

Yea formula one is the pinnacle of Motorsport, but they day we lost refuelling and in forcing tyre limits has killed what was a "mystical" sport of pure pace, stretching the car to the limits, as they could use as much fuel as they wanted and tyres. These engine and gearbox penalties and limits just further pushes formula one away from its roots.

[Insider 0]

Totally agree in principal. Not clear if the ban covered Quali too. Should do. Merc need clarification they say. Neither one of their drivers are capable of managing their own races, that's for sure. If there are to be strategy changes, how does that work? How can a driver be warned if his car is unsafe? It's a major blow for most driver but it won't affect Nando, Jens, Kimi and Ricciardo - they're the only proper racing drivers out there. Their stock will go sky high.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

Totally agree in principal. Not clear if the ban covered Quali too. Should do. Merc need clarification they say. Neither one of their drivers are capable of managing their own races, that's for sure. If there are to be strategy changes, how does that work? How can a driver be warned if his car is unsafe? It's a major blow for most driver but it won't affect Nando, Jens, Kimi and Ricciardo - they're the only proper racing drivers out there. Their stock will go sky high.

I certainly hope the last comment is true. And it may put a rookie like Magnussen under a sudden huge disadvantage, but we'll see.

Regarding Merc, agree on your comment there although it may be that most if not all the other teams give the same spoon-to-baby treatment during races but we just don't hear those transmissions because the audience wants to watch the Lewis v Nico show.

I wonder, will we ever hear "It's hammertime" again?

[Insider 0]

But why??? What's wrong with those radio messages? It's a contravention of the rule which says the driver must drive unaided? Well then re-word the rule! It's going to be ambiguous what is allowed and what isn't. And teams will find a way of communicating the same messages to the driver in some other way.

I can assure you that they won't. The FIA will ban all traffic except for emergency messages if teams mess about and those instructions will probably be communicated by Race Control themselves. Suddenly, people like the much-maligned Jenson are worth ten times their salary.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

I've always envied your eternal optimism for everything jenson-related. Here's to JB winning the 2016 WDC for williams!

[Emmcee 0]

Well Williams think they can fight for the 2016 title

[Insider 0]

I've always envied your eternal optimism for everything jenson-related. Here's to JB winning the 2016 WDC for williams!

I believe he has improved beyond all recognition since he won the WDC in 2009. He gets better every year and he rose to the challenge of LH and came off best. Now he's a write off after two years of remarkable loyalty and persistence driving a shocking car because it's the time of the young? Like hell it is. Race craft takes years to accumulate and flower. Perez got the boot after one season at McLaren and he is only just coming on song. He could never have had that 2 lap fight with JB before he spent a season watching the master at work. No way. Real greatness always rubs off. He is still prone to a stupid prang though. K-Mag will need another two years at least. Bottas and Ricciardo are the real thing but without being able to do the driving for their 'nursery' charges, teams will need their elite drivers to grab the points and make the right calls. In my books, he's gold and worth £20m a year of anyone's dosh.

[Emmcee 0]

Yep couldn't agree more, he is a completly different driver since 2009 and those few victories he grabbed for Mclaren by out foxing every other driver on the circuit, reminiscent of Schumi.

[BrisbaneAndy 0]

Using pit boards to communicate performance related information has been included as part of the technical ruling.