Former MotoGP driver is in favour of abolishing pit radio

If it is up to former MotoGP driver Stefan Bradl, the pit radios in Formula 1 should be abolished. Bradl prefers that the drivers to make the decisions themselves.

How races get better

It's a controversial topic, especially after last weekend in which the two Haas drivers both received a ten-second penalty after receiving driver aids over the team radio during the warm-up lap. As a result, Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen made a clever pit stop even before the race started to switch from intermediate tyres to slicks.

"I want the drivers to win. Of course the team is one of them, but I want the drivers to have the lead and decide", said Bradl at ServusTV. "In MotoGP the drivers have much more decision-making power and they can hold on to victory more than in Formula 1."

Radio had already been partly abolished

It's not a new subject. Abandoning the pit radio has been discussed several times in Formula 1. Recently driving instructions were forbidden for the drivers, but the ban was quickly lifted after the F1 found out it was difficult to control.

Team boss of AlphaTauri Franz Tost disagrees with Bradl. "Abolishing the radio doesn't make racing more exciting. You can adjust the drivers so they have less adjustment possibilities, but they are just as efficient. With us, the drivers are reasonably well trained. They know what they can do themselves. The pit radio is actually used when it comes to fine-tuning."