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Nico Rosberg: No need for another radio rule change

Gasperotti/Sutton Images

Nico Rosberg says there is no need for Formula One to make another revision to its radio ban after the problems which hit his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton in Baku.

Rosberg and Hamilton's cars both entered an incorrect engine mode during the Grand Prix of Europe, leading to 12 frustrating laps for the latter as he was unable to get feedback on the problem. Rosberg was able to rectify his own issue almost immediately as he had made a steering wheel switch change moments before the problem occurred.

The championship leader says F1 is never going to be able to make a radio rule which satisfies everyone.

"Regarding the issues in Baku, there's not much you can change, if there's an issue with the mode you're in, an issue with the settings, there's not much you can change," he said. "But this is in the nature of the sport, you're never going to be able to be 100 per cent perfect, never.

"The goal of these rules is to make it more challenging for the teams and the drivers and you need to make sure as a team that the driver has all the options available to him out there, which is not easy to get 100 per cent perfect and that's why we had the issues we had in Baku."

Rosberg was quick to point out that the radio clampdown originally came into force because fans were complaining about the amount of messages between drivers and the pit wall.

"But that was the goal of these rules and also the fans were complaining that we were just puppets on the track, just doing what the engineers were telling us, that was the complaint from the fans and that's why they changed the rules and they are the way they are now.

"And they're fine the way they are, it's more challenging for us out there, we're further away from perfection now, as we saw in Baku, so it's OK. Of course it's not perfect now, there's always need to compromise and I understand now that discussions on the radio don't sound very technical and Formula One like, but you're never going to have a perfect solution."

McLaren driver Jenson Button suggested the clampdown be relaxed when it comes to engine modes, as long as it does not lead to engineers giving advice on how to drive the car.

"We could have 300 modes if we knew what they were, I know what most of the stuff does on my steering wheel," he said. "There are obviously some bits I don't know because there are modes that I personally do not change unless I'm told to change.

"They're complicated engines and power units so sometimes we do need some help and I guess some information on driving should be banned, as it is, but maybe if you need to change an engine mode you should be allowed to know that. I don't know. I will do whatever the regulations say I should do."

However, Button also said it was down to Mercedes to make sure its cars started in the correct mode.

"It's the first race we've really had any issues and it was on two cars. The easiest thing is to make sure your cars start in the right mode. If it's a safety concern or its going to be a failure the team can obviously tell you which switches to change. Deal with them, you can't change [the rules] every race."