F1 drivers' briefing video a one-off for now

As part of a push by F1's new owners Liberty Media to make the sport more accessible for fans, it released a short video this weekend of the FIA briefing that Charlie Whiting held with drivers in Monaco.

It was the first time that cameras had broadcast such a briefing since the 1990s, and it offered a unique perspective on one of the most secretive moments of a grand prix weekend.

In the Monaco briefing, the drivers' discussed with Whiting the first corner incident between Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel at the Spanish GP, as well as the high kerbs at Monaco's Swimming Pool complex.

There was also an amusing moment when Daniil Kvyat asked that, instead of there being kerbs at the Swimming Pool exit, the old wall was put back in place. This was something Whiting said was not possible.

The three-minute video of the briefing proved to be one of Formula 1's most popular pieces of content produced over the Canadian GP weekend, but it is understood that there are no plans at present to make it a regular occurrence.

However, it is possible that the situation could be reconsidered later in the year.

One of the issues with having television cameras inside the briefing is that it could change the nature of the meeting – and make either the drivers or the FIA more reluctant to speak candidly about important safety and sporting issues because their comments would be effectively in public.

Massa backing

However, Williams driver Felipe Massa, who featured heavily in the briefing video, reckoned that it would be good for fans if the meetings were broadcast.

"I think it is a good idea," he said when asked by Motorsport.com. "To be honest I didn't even notice that somebody was filming it in Monaco.

"I think it is good – good for the people, good for the fans, I think it is good that you participate more in what we are doing and where we are talking. If everybody knows that we are talking with Charlie Whiting and the teams and everything, then everybody understands a little bit more about F1."

Pushed on whether he felt having television cameras inside risked changing the nature of the meetings, Massa said: "I don't care to be honest. I am there to try to do the best for F1, and say what I think is not right or something that I think needs to be better about the rules, or about so many other things. To be honest for me it is not a problem."

Massa added that he thought F1 should open up in even more areas.

"Maybe another good thing to have would be to open some other secrets; like the fuel in the car," he car. "So every time you go out of the garage, everyone knows your fuel level.

"We don't need so many secrets. In qualifying, everybody knows that everybody has low fuel, so why be secret? All the time the teams they more or less know what the other cars are using, so it needs to be more clear. No secrets."