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F1 German Grand Prix: ‘Liberal approach’ as FIA drops radio restrictions

Drivers and teams will be able to freely communicate during races once more after the Strategy Group voted in favour of loosening the controversial radio rules.

New for 2016, teams would be restricted as to what they can inform a driver during races in an effort to delegate more responsibility behind the wheel.

However, disputes would arise in the wake of a Nico Rosberg controversy when he was punished with a time penalty at the British Grand Prix after Mercedes informed him of how to fix a potential gearbox issue.

Leading to a tightening of the rules in Hungary to prevent 'interpretation' of the wide-ranging rules, the move was criticised further when Jenson Button received a drive-through penalty after also told how to fix a hydraulics issue.

As a result, the Strategy Group has opted to drop most of the restrictions altogether to 'provide improved content for fans and spectators'

"At the request of the Teams and Commercial Rights Holder, the FIA has agreed to adopt a more liberal approach to the interpretations of Article 27.1 (that a driver must drive the car "alone and unaided").

"With the exception of the period between the start of the formation lap and the start of the race, there will be no limitations on messages teams send to their drivers either by radio or pit board.

"This approach is aimed at providing improved content for fans and spectators, as teams will now be required to provide the Commercial Rights Holder with unrestricted access to their radio messages at all times that their cars are out of the garage."

Drivers will still not be able to receive instructions over clutch controls at the start, as per regulations introduced from the 2015 Belgian Grand Prix. 

Zdroj: crash.net