The complaint from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff about Nikita Mazepin at the Spanish Grand Prix was the first use of the new transmission from F1 to exchange messages between the teams and the race management.
The feature was well received by the fans, but according to Masi it led to less radio communication between the pit walls of the teams and the race management.
“I think, to be fair, every sports team, and that is no different in Formula 1, will use the radio knowing that it is there,” said Masi after the Styrian Grand Prix.
“It’s been there for many years, obviously it’s only now airing.
“Knowing that the teams now know that it is being broadcast, this has probably reduced the radio traffic in race control and, from the team’s point of view, probably made them think twice before asking a question.”
On the subject of matching items
After Valtteri Bottas spun in the pit lane in the second practice session at the Styrian Grand Prix last weekend, McLaren’s team manager Paul James complained to Masi in a broadcast message.
Bottas received a starting three-place penalty for the incident, leading the Finn to claim “everyone is always trying to kid you in this sport” and leaving Wolff unimpressed.
Wolff said of the incident that he found it “very entertaining how quickly some sports directors jump on the canal to Masi and come up with Armageddon scenarios”.
On the subject of matching items
He added, “It is good that these channels are now being opened so we can all laugh.”
However, Masi confirmed that the spin would have been investigated without McLaren’s intervention, saying the stewards did not hear the messages being broadcast.
“The stewards don’t actually hear anything about this communication between me and the teams, nor do they hear the comments about the races,” said Masi. “So they are not aware of this side in any way, shape, or form.
“In those situations, when such incidents happen, we go straight to the screen and say it’s ‘investigated’ or ‘noticed’ or whatever, to tell everyone in the pit lane what is happening.
“But to be fair what this incident was, even if McLaren hadn’t said anything, I would have asked the stewards to investigate.”
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