Mercedes boss Toto Wolff flips the script after Abu Dhabi GP radio storm

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff performed a major backflip as the controversy around the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix rolled on.

Toto Wolff thinks F1 has provided too much access to fans in some instances. Photo: Getty Images.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has called to ban broadcasts of communication between team principals and the FIA race director over radio, believing F1 and its governing body the FIA “overshot” in their decision to air select conversations.

Radio chats with the race director have traditionally occurred with the team’s sporting director and not their team principal, but this past season saw a major shift.

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The issue reared its ugly head at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton duked it out for the world championship in a winner-takes-all-race.

Both Wolff and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner were talking with race director Michael Masi throughout the grand prix as the Aussie came under fire for his controversial decision-making.

When Nicholas Latifi crashed with only a few laps to go, the safety car was brought out and the lapped cars that separated Hamilton and Verstappen were told to unlap themselves, gifting the Dutchman an open attack on Hamilton, who was driving on worn-out tyres.

Verstappen went on to pass Hamilton on the final lap and claim the victory.

The decision had Wolff seeing red and he vented his fury to Masi over the radio, which was also was broadcast for TV viewers to hear.

“This is not right!” the Silver Arrows boss said.

FIA race director Michael Masi found himself in the spotlight for his calls during the Abu Dhabi GP. Picture: Andrea Diodato/NurPhoto via Getty Images

As Wolff’s frustrations were heard by fans across the world, F1 managing director Ross Brawn suggested team principals should no longer have a direct line to Masi.

It’s a stance Wolff wholeheartedly backs.

“I agree with Ross,” Wolff said, as reported by told motorsport.com. “But I equally blame Ross and myself because we have been part of the decision making to broadcast more of the channels for the purpose of transparency and entertainment for the fans.

“There is so much going on on the intercom that giving fans a little bit of an overview of all the little dramas that happen, like is the car breaking down, are we having some kind of strategy discussions, was meant well.

“But I think we overshot.

“I need to take myself by the nose, and Christian (Red Bull boss Christian Horner). We were given the opportunity to talk to the race director directly, and because we fight so fiercely for the interests of our teams all of us overstepped.

“It certainly was part of the failures this year that under pressure from the team principals, the race director’s life wasn’t made easier, certainly.”

Lewis Hamilton was on track to win a record eighth world championship until a controversial call snatched it from his grasp. Picture: Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

The fumbled finish to the Abu Dhabi GP led Mercedes to protest Masi’s decision to let the cars between Hamilton and Verstappen unlap themselves. The Brit had led the race from the first lap and was on track to win a record eighth world championship.

The FIA rejected Mercedes’ protest but as the team prepared to appeal the decision, it eventually retreated.

The call to no longer pursue a change in result was made in consultation with Hamilton, largely because no one wanted the result to be overturned in an environment that was not the racetrack.

“Every step on the way it was joint decisions,” Wolff said. “We decided together with Lewis to protest, to launch the appeal, and to withdraw the appeal.

“As you can imagine, not only for him, but also for us as a team, it was terrible to be confronted with a decision that decided the outcome of the world championship.

“But nobody of us, neither him or us, want to win a championship in the courtroom.

“But on the other side, we were deeply wronged.

“And it wasn’t just a case of a bad call, it was a freestyle reading of the rules, and it left Lewis like a sitting duck.

“It was tremendously hard for him and for us as a team to withdraw the appeal, because we were wronged.”

Wolff and Hamilton will look to get their revenge when the 2022 season kicks off on March 20 at the Bahrain Grand Prix.