Formula 3 driver Christian Mansell has been granted permission to have a mobile phone in his car this weekend at the season-opening round of the junior championship in Bahrain, as a result of his medical condition.
The FIA have massively clamped down on what a driver can have in a cockpit with them, resulting in the governing body locking horns with seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton recently went against the FIA after jewellery was banned from the cockpit; however, he’s been granted permission to keep his nose stud in after presenting a doctor’s note.
Hamilton isn’t the only driver to have been granted permission to have something with him in the cockpit, with Mansell having been granted permission due to having type one diabetes.
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The Campos driver has been given permission to keep a mobile phone in his car due to Mansell and his trainer needing to monitor his blood sugar concentration, which could fall dangerously low without it being monitored.
Following special permission having been granted, the mobile phone in Mansell’s cockpit will be able to send his trainer his blood sugar levels in real time, meaning swift action can be taken if necessary.
The FIA medical delegate are aware that Mansell is “medically fit to compete notwithstanding his diabetes condition,” but that it would be in the best interest of the driver’s safety to “allow the monitoring system he is familiar with to be used during competition in the manner suggested.”
Interestingly, Mansell has only been granted permission to use a phone this weekend at the Bahrain International Circuit, with Campos planning to present to the FIA a “acceptable solution” ahead of the championship’s next weekend in Australia, alongside Formula 1’s Australian Grand Prix.
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In the opening race of the season which took place Saturday morning, Mansell finished in 14th, whilst his team-mate Pepe Martí claimed the first victory of the 2023 season.
Mansell’s other Campos team-mate Hugh Barter finished 11th, just over two seconds ahead of Mansell – who is not related to ex-Formula 1 driver and 1992 World Champion Nigel Mansell.
Mansell will be hoping to finish higher than 14th in the main race of the weekend, which takes place Sunday morning.