Radio ban is “controversial and complex,” says Toto Wolff

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff has called the FIA’s decision to clamp down on radio messages from the pit to the driver “controversial” – and says that much still has to be clarified.

“It has been confirmed that we will now see less radio traffic,” said Wolff. “This is a complex and controversial decision which will require a significant effort from the teams to understand how best we can work around it. The directive is not yet fully clear and there will inevitably be some controversy, so it will need further clarification as to how much the essential on-track procedures will be affected -­ particularly before the start of the race.”

Meanwhile regarding the team’s prospects in Singapore he said: “Italy was a fantastic way to wrap up the European phase of the season after a tough few weekends at the preceding races. It was our first one-two finish since Austria and, realistically, the results in between had not matched the high standards we set ourselves as a team.

“To see both drivers on the top two steps was a thoroughly deserved reward for all the hard work put in by the people at Brackley, Brixworth and Stuttgart. Lewis produced a fantastic drive to recover from a difficult start and take a well-earned win. For Nico, it was unusual to see a few mistakes when he is usually so consistent – but he has all the mental strength required to bounce back.”