Formula 1: Nikita Mazepin’s driving prompts first-of-its-kind reaction

Nikita Mazepin’s driving in Sunday’s Formula 1 race at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya prompted a first-of-its-kind reaction on the live broadcast.

As many expected, given how the 2021 Formula 1 season’s first three race weekends went, Haas rookie Nikita Mazepin again found himself at the back of the pack in Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, and without much of a chance of finishing ahead of any driver who wasn’t forced to retire from the event.

Mazepin has already ruffled some feathers this season for his conduct while running in traffic. His maiden qualifying session at Bahrain International Circuit saw him violate the “gentlemen’s agreement” regarding passing drivers on their out laps.

He also generated a penalty point (and a useless five-second time penalty) on his license for not obeying the blue flags in the Portuguese Grand Prix at Algarve International Circuit multiple times when race leader Sergio Perez of Red Bull was attempting to put him another lap down.

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He generated another penalty point (and a useless three-spot grid penalty) for impeding McLaren’s Lando Norris in the qualifying session for the Spanish Grand Prix.

During the Spanish Grand Prix itself, he found himself about to be lapped by race leader Max Verstappen of Red Bull and second place driver Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes, and he did not make it easy on the frontrunners. Verstappen dove off into the pits, avoiding the need to get around him for the time being. But Hamilton kept going, and he ended up being held up by the 22-year-old Russian.

This prompted an angry reaction from Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff over the radio to race control.

And for the first time ever, such a message was shared with the live television audience.

Here is what Wolff had to say in a message to Formula 1 race director Michael Masi that was aired on lap 26 of 66 around the 16-turn, 2.892-mile (4.654-kilometer) road course in Montmelo, Catalonia, Spain.

"“Michael, blue flags. Michael this guy makes us lose the position.”"

Masi stated that such messages being played in the broadcast marks “one of the innovations that the FIA has worked together with F1″, and teams had been informed that their messages to race control may be shared in such a manner.

What could be a more fitting prompt to this innovation being used for the first time than Hamilton trying to lap Mazepin?

Here is more of what Masi had to say about the matter, according to RaceFans.

"“It actually came about through a discussion at the F1 Commission meeting last year, so [viewers] could hear a part of the broadcast the communications between the pit wall and the teams, which is the regular part of what we do operationally.“The F1 Group through their broadcasts, has been doing some trials in the background of seeing what that looks like. And all the teams were advised and this weekend’s the first time it’s gone live to air.”"

Hamilton went on to win the race ahead of Verstappen in second place to open up a 14-point lead in the driver standings ahead of his chief world championship rival. Mazepin finished in a distant 19th of the 19 drivers who finished the race, two laps off the lead lap.