Ticktum: Silverstone Formula 2 radio messages "taken out of context"
Formula 2 driver Dan Ticktum has responded to criticism over his radio messages during Saturday's feature race at Silverstone, saying his words were "taken out of context"
Ticktum was heard fuming over team radio after claiming he nearly had a collision with Haas Formula 1 junior Louis Deletraz when battling for position.
"Next time that **** pulls a kamikaze move like that, I'm going to crash with him, I tell you that," Ticktum said to his engineer.
"I will never give him that much respect ever again."
Ticktum went on to finish the opening F2 round of the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix weekend in 15th place for DAMS after slipping through the field amid struggles with tyre degradation.
The video clip of the incident and the radio call went viral on social media following the race, leading to a wave of criticism against Ticktum for his comments.
But the former Red Bull junior driver moved to clarify his message and stress that it had been taken out of context, and that he was not interring he would deliberately collide with Deletraz.
"Very frustrating race for me today," Ticktum wrote on Twitter. "Unfortunately the tyre degradation is unpredictable and we lost out.
"I also want to clarify that one of my radio messages has been taken out of context.
"I gave a lot of space, had I not done, we could've come together. In no way did I mean I wanted to crash with him.
"Thank you to the team for always standing by me and I look forward to a better race tomorrow."
Ticktum previously served a one-year ban from racing after deliberately crashing into another car behind the safety car in a MSA Formula race in 2015.
After returning to motorsport in 2016, Ticktum went on to win the Macau Grand Prix twice, and spent a brief spell as part of Red Bull's F1 junior programme.
The Briton graduated to F2 for the 2020 season, scoring his first win in the category in the Silverstone sprint race in support of the British Grand Prix.
Ticktum currently sits fifth in the F2 drivers' standings ahead of Sunday's second sprint race at Silverstone.
Silverstone F2: Ilott dominates feature race to take points lead
Silverstone F2: Tsunoda handed sprint win after Prema's drivers clash
Is winning in Super Formula really easier than in F2?
Super Formula has had an unusual number of first-time winners recently, and one of those caused a stir by suggesting that scoring a victory in Formula 2 was a harder achievement. But is that really the case?
F2 driver Caldwell gets one-round ban for Spa
Formula 2 driver Olli Caldwell will miss the next round of the championship after being handed a race ban for reaching 12 penalty points as a result of a track limits breach in Hungary.
F2 Hungary: Pourchaire reignites title battle with feature race victory
Theo Pourchaire clinched FIA Formula 2 feature race victory in Hungary to reignite the title battle with Felipe Drugovich.
F2 Hungary: Doohan cruises to sprint race win
Jack Doohan cruised to FIA Formula 2 victory at the Hungaroring, holding off Juri Vips to cross the line five seconds clear.
The problem sausage kerbs continue to cause
Track limits are the problem that motorsport doesn't seem to be able to rid itself of. But the use of so-called 'sausage kerbs' as a deterrent has in several instances only served to worsen the problem, and a growing number of voices want to see action taken
The on-form F1 protege carrying America's hopes on his shoulders
Two feature race wins in as many rounds have helped Logan Sargeant to emerge as the closest challenger to runaway Formula 2 points leader Felipe Drugovich. The Williams F1 junior couldn't have timed his rise better, with interest in grand prix racing on the rise in his US homeland, and he could be his country's best shot at getting a driver on the grid for the first time since 2015
What racing in Australia means for the future of F1's junior series
The announcement that FIA Formula 2 and 3 would race alongside the Australian Grand Prix from 2023 came as a surprise, not only to fans but to the series’ teams too. But with Formula 1’s boom in popularity bringing more fans to the championships, team principals are relishing the opportunity
The other Doohan charting his way to motorsport success
Heading into FIA Formula 2 this season, there was a lot of pressure on Jack Doohan. The 2021 F3 runner-up joined a new team for his next challenge, as well as signing up to the Alpine Academy. He told Autosport how he’s tackling the step up - with some help from his motorcycle legend father
The Brazilian F2 driver hoping to return his country to motorsport's top tier
With a chaotic but “pretty much perfect” FIA Formula 2 weekend in Saudi Arabia behind him, Felipe Drugovich now leads the drivers’ standings in his third crack at the series. The Brazilian driver explains how he's improved amid some difficult years, and shares his dreams of ending his nation's absence from the F1 grid
The Red Bull junior aiming to emulate Piastri in F2
Norwegian talent Dennis Hauger has a tough act to follow in Oscar Piastri’s footsteps on his graduation to F2 as the reigning F3 champion with Prema. Here’s what he makes of the task ahead of him
The other Mercedes F1 young gun facing a big 2022
With a disappointing 2021 season behind him, Frederik Vesti makes the move up to FIA Formula 2 with a reinvigorated sense of determination. Could this finally be the breakthrough year for the talented Mercedes junior?
Ranking the 10 best drivers of an F1 junior series stalwart
DAMS has been one of the most prolific teams below Formula 1 since its foundation in 1989, launching 32 drivers into grand prix racing. Following the team's sale to ex-F1 racer Charles Pic, formally closing the book on the ownership of the Driot family, Autosport picks out its 10 best drivers during their spell with the team