A serious flaw in the FIA’s radio clampdown regulations was exposed during the European Grand Prix, as Mercedes’ engine mapping errors put both of their drivers in a dangerous situation that could have simply been rectified over team radio. Although Nico Rosberg was not really impacted by the issue, Lewis Hamilton suffered for multiple laps.
Both Mercedes drivers fell victim to faulty engine mapping during the race. Incorrect engine modes left both drivers down on power. Nico Rosberg was able to solve the issue within a lap, but Hamilton was confused for a large portion of the race. Although the team could have advised Hamilton to adjust the required settings on his steering wheel, Mercedes were not permitted to do so, due to the FIA’s tight ban on radio messages.
A confused Lewis Hamilton explains the situation:
“I have no idea what happened out there today. I just had no power. I was in an engine mode which made it feel like I was driving without ERS for a long time. We have hundreds of different combinations of switch position on the wheel and, no matter how much you study, there’s no way to remember them all. I was driving around looking at my screen trying to work out what was wrong – but I couldn’t see anything I’d done differently. It’s such a complicated, technical formula we have now and I don’t really see the benefit in preventing us from being able to fix these things out on track. It was just a real shame that I couldn’t race. If I’d been able to resolve it, I might have at least been able to be a part of the show and fight with the guys ahead of me. With about ten laps to go it sorted itself out – but by that time there was nothing to be gained or lost as I was more than ten seconds behind the guy in front and the same ahead of the guy behind. I actually turned the engine down at the end to save it, knowing that I don’t have so many left for the season. But it wasn’t to be today, so the result is what it is. I’ve got points for P5 and now I’ll try to bounce back at the next race.”
The FIA introduced the radio ban just prior to the season. The new regulations govern the team radios and team pit boards in order to ensure that the drivers are driving the cars unaided. However, the situation in Azerbaijan put Hamilton and the other drivers at an increased risk, as he was distracted while attempting to fix an issue that the team could have simply repaired with a single radio message.
“He reported some electrical de-rates quite early on but it only became clear around his pit-stop that he was suffering from quite a big performance deficit with the car,” explained Toto Wolff, the head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport. “Once we had identified the problem, it could have been changed with a single radio message – but the rules, which are of course the same for everybody, prevented us from doing so, and we were only authorised by the FIA to use very specific phrasing. It was an unusual and counter-intuitive problem with an engine mode so there was no way Lewis could know what to change to solve it.”
Rosberg was still able to win the race, despite his issues. On the other side of the garage, the lack of pace caused by the issue ensured that Hamilton would only earn a P5 finish, which is still respectable, given that he had started from P10 on the grid following his accident in qualifying. This increases Rosberg’s World Drivers’ Championship lead to 24 points, as we approach round nine of the 2016 season.
Weekend Summary: 2016 European Grand Prix
2016 European Grand Prix Predictions
FIA Increases Radio Ban
