F1 | Fernando Alonso furious with race control as FOM censors Aston Martin team radio. Fernando Alonso expressed anger at race control during the Mexican Grand Prix.

Fernando Alonso expressed his frustration with race control after the incident at Turn 1 during the Mexican Grand Prix, but the Formula One Management (FOM) censored his team radio messages. The Aston Martin driver was highly critical of the race management in the opening laps, accusing those in charge of not understanding racing. However, his radio communications were never broadcast live to fans, raising questions about transparency in onboard coverage.

During the chaotic start, Fernando Alonso lost several positions after multiple drivers cut the runoff area between Turn 1 and Turn 2. Furious, the Spanish driver vented his frustrations to his race engineer, Andrew Vizard. He reportedly said over the radio, “Those managing the race don’t understand anything about racing,” adding ironically, “I hope they broadcast this and see what happens at Turn One and Two.”

Alonso censored by FOM: the controversial team radio

Despite his request, Fernando Alonso’s comments were not aired. The official Aston Martin onboard feed remained mostly silent throughout the Grand Prix, with many messages from the opening laps either cut or censored.

According to reports, Formula One Management uses a system that allows real-time muting of radio messages. Unlike the global TV broadcast, where censored words are replaced with the familiar “beep,” onboard audio is simply silenced, making it impossible to know if a message was partially or entirely removed.

This censorship system is mainly used during incidents or when a driver becomes particularly agitated and might say something inappropriate for live broadcast. In Alonso’s case, however, the muting appeared to last longer than usual. His third-lap communication was edited in several sections, and some parts were flagged as “not broadcast live.”

Historically, drivers who publicly criticized race control over team radio have faced warnings or penalties. For example, in 2023, Sergio Pérez received an official warning after calling the stewards’ decisions at Abu Dhabi “a joke.”

By censoring Fernando Alonso’s messages, FOM may have shielded him from a potential disciplinary investigation for “misconduct” under FIA regulations. Following his initial outburst, the Asturian’s radio channel was only intermittently active for the rest of the race, reflecting the tense start and the dramatic circumstances of the opening laps.