Formula 1: Toto Wolff’s radio talk with Lewis Hamilton a ‘clear message to the world’

David Coulthard has said the conversation could have taken place in private

Toto Wolff called Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes vehicle ‘undrivable’ on the radio (Getty Images)

Ex-Formula 1 driver David Coulthard says Toto Wolff apologising to Lewis Hamilton over the radio was a “message to the world”.

The Mercedes team principal said sorry to the seven-time world champion after porpoising issues and the driver’s own struggles with the car saw him finish 13th at Imola. But Coulthard said the conversation didn’t have to be a public one and it was a deliberate choice by Wolff.

“That was a very significant moment and a very clear message to the world,” Coulthard told Channel 4. “That’s a private conversation he has chosen to make public.”

The porpoising has been an issue for other teams but Mercedes seem to be particularly affected by it. Hamilton’s teammate George Russell has complained of chest and back pains due to the issue. Coulthard suggested that once they have the problem under control, they will be right back in the season.

“The hope [for Mercedes] is, that within the regulations of the 2022 season, Ferrari, Red Bull and others are harnessing the downforce,” added Coulthard. “What Mercedes is doing is sucking themselves down to the road, and it’s going, ‘Oh no, that doesn’t feel good,’ and it bounces back up.

“Once they understand what part of their aero package is really triggering that issue, then suddenly they will step back in because the rest is fundamentally good.”

While Coulthard and others back Mercedes to come right back into the race for titles, Hamilton has been realistic about his chances in the title race this season.

He told Sky Sports: “I’m out of it, for sure. There’s no question about that, but I’ll still keep working as hard as I can to try and somehow pull it back together.”