German driver Hulkenberg said it was a “misunderstanding” after the engineer Bradley Joyce was heard to react aggressively to a suggestion that his driver was only on a warm-up lap.
The conversation was broadcast on the team radio to a live global television audience.
After the session was over, and Hulkenberg had qualified 10th behind his Force India team-mate local hero Sergio Perez, he said: “There was a bit of confusion. I need to talk to the engineers because I couldn’t understand what was going on.” — AFP