How Does F1 Team Radio Work?

“It’s Hammer time,” “to whom it may concern…,” “I am stupid” – Almost every F1 driver has had an unforgettable radio moment during their career. It’s impossible not to. When the radio waves light up during the race, one of two simple things can happen- either things are going to plan, or everything is about to go horribly wrong.

Once upon a time, we’d also have team principals declaring war over the radio. A source of drama and nail-biting moments, the sneaky radio interactions are just as entertaining as the race being played out.

From strategy to driver safety- even with its funny moments, the team radio is an important part of an F1 race. Its primary purpose is to connect the driver and the team during the race. The invention is pivotal in coordinating the team’s pursuit of speed and, eventually, victory.

How do F1 drivers communicate during a race?

All F1 drivers have a button on their unique steering wheels activating their team radio. This allows them to communicate with the team with the help of a mic and earpiece attached to their crash helmets. The device itself is worth hundreds of dollars- but is invaluable for measuring driver feedback and, in return, passing instructions.

Within the team, the engineering and management units have access to intercoms that comprise the radios of channels of support groups like Strategy, IT, Electronics, Pit Crew, etc. The rules that govern the radio allow teams to say pretty much anything they want to the driver except during the formation lap before the race starts. The only exception to this is under certain conditions- like if the car is damaged or there is a visibility issue during wet races.

Further, there has been a demand for “proximity chat” between drivers, like in video games. However, drivers have no communication with each other as it would incite chaos and be distracting- which could also be used wrongfully.

Who Do Lewis Hamilton and other F1 drivers talk to during a race?

Every driver has a designated race engineer who is their primary contact during a race. Additionally, team principals have hopped on to the radio to provide words of encouragement or celebrate a victory.

As many as 80 people are on these radio channels during the race, connecting various departments as information gets distributed across the team. Hence, the driver must maintain contact with just one person who knows it all his race engineer.

They are given access to address the driver to avoid distracting the driver during the race. As a result, the responsibility of clearly and concisely delivering information with a level head, even during a crisis, falls upon the race engineer. Thus, they need to develop a thick skin. Often at the receiving end of emotional and angry drivers, provide them with painful instructions if required.

More recently, Lewis Hamilton was disappointed with Mercedes for their strategy that denied him a potential podium finish at the 2022 Dutch GP. The driver fumed, “I can’t believe you guys f*cking screwed me, man!” The outburst was taken calmly as Peter Bonnington, his race engineer, replied, “Copy Lewis. We’ll chat afterwards.”

Also read: Lewis Hamilton is the Best Loser Claims Chief Mercedes Engineer

Responses like this help diffuse the situation and keep an overall positive environment within the team, which is crucial in maintaining relationships.

Race engineers also remain cautious of when they speak to the drivers. Drivers often prefer being spoken to on the straights; being spoken to at crucial moments like braking points could distract the driver.

How did teams communicate before the radio in F1?

Before this extremely convenient invention, teams still had to communicate crucial information with their drivers. Information boards were used, where team members used numbers and letters to deliver a message. These boards were held off the pit wall on every other lap for drivers to refer to as they completed a lap.

This is also used today. When technology fails, and there is silence on the radio, it’s the safer alternative to take. Moments where communications get patchy are common- where either party cannot hear the other.

A situation could arise when the microphone embedded in the driver’s helmet is in a difficult place for it to function properly. The mic can often move around or become muffled in circuits with high vibrations and movements. However, where the team can’t hear the driver, there are also instances where the roles are reversed. Engineers typically wait for slow corners where the revs are low, and a quick message can be sent.

Are all radio messages broadcasted?

F1 broadcasts the dialogue with the drivers- it usually features the important ones on the main channel, while the public can listen in on all the discussions on F1TV. Further, teams are also allowed to listen in on each other’s channels to gain information on rivals and their strategy. This comes as a boon and a bane, as teams trick their rivals into believing a strategy that might not necessarily be true.

Thus, engineers speak to their drivers in code to some extent: referring to a Plan A or Plan B to refer to a strategy without giving it all away. However, internal communications are private. This means that the conversations within the team- whether it’s the pit wall or operations team- are discussed freely before they take the information to the driver and the public.

These broadcasts provide easy meme material to the fanbase, also becoming a reference point in many jokes. Entertaining, scary and informative all in one, these team radios remain a crucial part of the sport.