Collins praises Verstappen's intelligence after Singapore radio failure

Max Verstappen’s Singapore Grand Prix drive was complicated by a one-way radio failure: race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase could send messages, but Verstappen could not reply by voice. Bernie Collins, a former F1 chief strategist and Sky Sports pundit, said the situation highlighted Verstappen’s intelligence and ability to race without the coaching sometimes heard over team radio.

Lambiase switched to questions that required only a yes or no, asking Verstappen to signal an answer with a button press or no press. Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 Show, Collins praised the engineer’s ingenuity in finding a way to get a response without spoken replies.

Collins said Verstappen could not ask about other drivers’ positions or the race strategy. She said he had to judge the tyres, decide when to manage or push, and work out the strategy himself. Delivering such a strong race under those conditions, Collins said, spoke to Verstappen’s strength.