Red Bull Racing advisor Helmut Marko wants Formula 1 to change its rules so that radio communication between drivers and race engineers is banned, claiming that ’s life is made ‘easier’ by being able to receive advice.
The frankly bizarre suggestion from Marko, who oversees Red Bull’s young driver program and is known in the paddock for his outlandish comments and general dislike of Hamilton, comes after the seven-time world champion equalled his best result of the season by finishing third in last Sunday’s British Grand Prix.
The 37-year-old has been unable to challenge for race victories this season as Mercedes are off the pace of frontrunners Red Bull and Ferrari, having struggled to redesign their machinery over the winter as F1 underwent its biggest regulation change in a generation.
At Silverstone though he rose from fifth on the grid to finish on the bottom step of the podium behind first-time race winner Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez, having received information from his race engineer throughout the race instructing him where he could improve his speed on track, as happens with every driver during every race throughout the season.
But Marko has now claimed that Hamilton’s life is made ‘easier’ by receiving such advice, and thinks the practice should be banned.
‘It’s partly like being in driving school,’ said Marko, as quoted by ServusTV in Austria. ‘You could limit it so that it only goes in one direction, that you only let the driver do it, but don’t let him get technical support.’
Max Verstappen’s relationship with his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase has been lauded in recent years, but Marko has suggested engineers are doing too much work to help drivers.
‘It’s like: “You lose five meters in turn ten when braking and in turn three the other driver takes it a little more slowly,”‘ Marko said. ‘So a driver gets all this information and that makes it easier for him’
The 2022 F1 season continues this weekend with the Austrian Grand Prix at Spielberg.
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