Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur plans to talk to FOM about the selection of radio messages that are broadcast after the Chinese Grand Prix. The Frenchman was furious after producers omitted some key moments in Lewis Hamilton’s conversations with race engineer Riccardo Adami. Despite Charles Leclerc picking up damage to his front-wing endplate after early contact with his team-mate, the Monegasque racer showed better early pace than Hamilton, who was fourth place ahead of him.
Understanding that he was struggling, Hamilton came onto the radio offering to swap positions with Leclerc and let his team-mate attempt to hunt down George Russell ahead. “I think I’m gonna let Charles go because I’m struggling,” he told Adami. This message was not broadcast.
This message was conveyed on lap 18, but Hamilton neglected to invert the cars on that lap. Adami then told Hamilton to swap at Turn 14 on the following lap. He replied: “I will when he’s closer,” which was included on the broadcast.
The following lap, Hamilton added: “If he can’t get the cars ahead, he can let us… out his way. Right now, I’m closing up a little bit.” Adami then asked: “Do we want to swap this now?” and his driver fired back: “I’ll tell you when we’re going to swap.”
Discussing the situation after the race, Vasseur believed that FOM had selectively singled out messages to broadcast in an attempt to enhance the drama of the scenario. “I think this is a joke from FOM,” the Ferrari boss fumed.
“Because the first call came from Lewis – that Lewis asked us to swap. But to make the show, to create the mess around the situation, they broadcast only the second part of the question. I will discuss with them.”
Asked if the possibility of swapping positions was discussed with Leclerc and Hamilton before the Chinese GP, Vasseur replied: “Yeah. I think we have to work for the team and to consider that we have to do the best for Ferrari.
“And it’s agreed between the cars and the drivers before the race, and it’s not an issue. It’s even the best proof of this is that it came from the drivers that ‘Okay, I’m losing the pace that I am keen to swap.’”
Vasseur had other issues to contend with after the chequered flag in Shanghai. Both Leclerc and Hamilton were disqualified from the race after the No.16 car came in 1kg underweight, and the No.44 machine’s skid blocks were judged to have exceeded the maximum wear limit by 0.5mm.