'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
F1 drivers, just like the rest of us, have WhatsApp group chats to discuss a variety of things. While the contents of these group chats are mostly elusive, Charles Leclerc has revealed what drivers talk about when on their phones.
The sport sees a lot of incidents between drivers that are usually solved by the FIA and race control. However, sometimes these decisions aren't universally liked by all drivers on the grid.
To give all drivers a voice, the sport has the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) - a trade union for F1 drivers - to make their voices heard by the FIA. Charles Leclerc claims that sometimes drivers use the WhatsApp group chat to discuss decisions made by the FIA.
The Ferrari F1 driver said:
“Sometimes, when we are not happy with a decision or something like that, we put it on the group chat and talk about it together.”
While it is fun to imagine drivers lashing out at each other post-race on the said WhatsApp group, it is most likely used for more serious discussions. Valtteri Bottas briefly touched on the subject, saying:
“Actually an official thing for safety things and stuff like that.”
Pirelli reveals crucial overtaking F1 statistic from 2022
Pirelli revealed that F1's 2022 regulations have indeed been a success - leading to 30% more overtakes this year compared to the last. Pirelli said that there were 599 recorded overtakes in 2021, which increased to 785 overtakes over the same 22-race span in 2022.
Speaking about the new regulations, the director of Pirelli, Mario Isola, said:
"I believe it's a very good number - 30% more - considering that is informed by the facts, so it's not exaggerated. It's quite a good point."
Isola talked about how the new tires were helping the drivers follow each other more closely and how that meant less sliding impacting the tires:
"The fact that when they follow each other, they lose less downforce is obviously helping the tyre, because they don't slide more, they slide less and they don't overheat."
