'That radio clip about Mazepin was chosen to pump up the story'

During the Grand Prix, Formula 1 experimented with a new feature for the fans: Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff could be heard on the radio addressing the race direction. Jolyon Palmer finds it an unusual addition.

In the radio clip, Wolff could be heard complaining about Nikita Mazepin not pulling over in time for the blue flags, causing Lewis Hamilton to lose the race. F1 analyst Palmer was surprised to hear the clip: "Is it unusual, or unusual that we heard it? It is interesting that that was broadcast," he spoke at the Chequered Flag podcast.

Palmer finds it remarkable that the very clip was used against 'bad boy' Mazepin. "We know the narrative against Mazepin, comes in with huge backing, not the most popular driver and is not doing well. It just helped to pump that narrative a little bit more that it was broadcast," Palmer said.

The former Renault driver assumes that these talks were going on between the teams and the FIA throughout the race. For a long time, Hamilton was not stuck behind the Russian either and the radio message was therefore not well received by Haas F1 team boss Guenther Steiner.