Why Wolff was a victim of new F1 TV tool

FIA race director Michael Masi has revealed Toto Wolff was the first team principal to fall victim to a new television tool employed by F1 and the FIA across a race weekend.

After Max Verstappen pitted during the Spanish Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton needed to punch in a series of fast laps at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya to remain in contention for the race win.

Hamilton, however, was hampered in his quest by Haas driver Nikita Mazepin, which forced Wolff to jump on the radio to communicate with Masi in race control.

With a clearly anxious tone in his voice, Wolff shouted: "Michael, blue flags! Blue flags! Michael, this guy makes us lose the position."

After the race, Haas team principal Guenther Steiner accused Wolff of 'wanting to show who is in command' and that he was 'publicity seeking'.

Masi has revealed Wolff was more a victim of increased radio access between the pit walls of the F1 teams and race control now given to broadcasters.

“To be fair, I very rarely hear from Toto on the race control radio," said Masi.

"However, one of the innovations the FIA has worked together with F1 – and actually came together after an F1 Commission meeting last year – is so they could hear, as part of the broadcast, the communications between the race control and the teams, which is a regular part of what we do operationally.

“From that perspective, Saturday was the first time it started so the F1 Group, through their broadcast, have been doing some trials in the background of seeing what that is like.

"All the teams were advised and the weekend was the first time it had gone live to air.”

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