27/09/2015
NEWS STORY
Niki Lauda is to question Bernie Ecclestone on the lack of TV coverage of Suzuka winner Hamilton.
Only two things appeared to match McLaren-Honda for poor performance at Suzuka today, the official F1 app, which didn't begin working until 27 laps in to the race, and the TV coverage.
Viewers were left frustrated as the cameras focused on empty bits of track, corners where the action had already moved on and everything else bar race leader Lewis Hamilton. Indeed, once past Nico Rosberg in T2, the TV cameras rarely appeared to capture the world champion again.
"I don't know why," said Mercedes non-executive chairman Lauda when asked why the TV director appeared not to show Hamilton for much of the afternoon. "Somebody must do the filming here, and I have to ask what is wrong with it.
"It was funny, to be honest, because I was watching TV for a long time, and funny enough I saw Saubers and a lot of Honda cars and all this, but no Mercedes.
"I have to ask. I have to see Bernie next week and ask him what is the reason because you ask a question and you get an answer.
"At the moment I can't say much but it was funny today. Even the pit stop of Lewis the leader, we only saw him driving out. We didn't even see how he changed his wheels. So it was interesting."
Amidst claims that the official Formula One Management coverage blanked the race leader in return for Mercedes decision not to supply Red Bull with engines, Lauda said: "I think you cannot go in that direction because I spoke to Bernie in a couple of occasions about this engine deal, and it was very clear that Mateschitz never really approached us for the reasons he never really liked Mercedes from the past, nothing to do with today. So Bernie is not upset about us about the engine, that's for sure."
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