"Lobbying and negotiating penalties must come to an end" - Toto Wolff on communications with Michael Masi during race

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has had his say on controversial radio calls between the teams and FIA Race Director Michael Masi. Wolff wants lobbying and negotiating for penalties by teams to end for good.

Speaking to Bild in Germany about the manifestation of incessant radio calls between team bosses and the FIA race control, the Mercedes exec said:

“A sensible sporting exchange should be possible. But lobbying and negotiating penalties must come to an end. Even if we were part of it. "

As the dust settles on the 2021 campaign, radio calls between the teams and the Race Director have been one of the major talking points. This was on full display during the season finale at the Yas Marina Circuit.

Both Toto Wolff and Christian Horner, his Red Bull counterpart, were heard on the telecast attempting to pressurize Michael Masi at different stages of the race.

When a Virtual Safety Car was deployed after Antonio Giovinazzi's car came to a controlled halt on lap 37, Wolff came on the radio to ask Masi to not deploy a full Safety Car, claiming it would interfere with the racing between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

Similarly, when the Safety Car was deployed after Nicholas Latifi's shunt at Turn 14 on Lap 54, Horner took a page from Wolff's book and asked why lapped cars between the two leaders were not being allowed to unlap.

At the restart, Wolff was heard telling Masi that the latter 'needed to reinstate the previous lap', an impossibility under the rules.

When Verstappen stormed into the lead of the race on the last lap, an irate Wolff was heard complaining incessantly to Masi.

Now, the Austrian hopes lobbying and fishing for penalties for opponents will only be left to the Race Stewards to decide.

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Toto Wolff and Christian Horner's antics could result in F1 radio ban

Toto Wolff and Christian Horner's actions during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix have already got people wondering if the direct radio line between teams and officials should be scrapped for good.

F1's Managing Director of Motorsport, Ross Brawn, has already mentioned that what Toto Wolff and Christian Horner tried to do was 'unacceptable'. Departing FIA President Jean Todt also found the issue 'unfortunate'.

The line of communication could be banned next season but no official decision has been made as of yet.