Decoding the language of a racing driver: a speech act analysis of Charles Leclerc’s Formula 1 team radio communications

This study analysed speech acts in selected Charles Leclerc’s Formula 1 team radio communications during the 2022 season. The study sets out to identify the illocutionary force and perlocutionary effects of the Formula 1 driver’s selected speech by employing Searle’s speech act theory (1969). The design of the study was contextual content analysis where four selected excerpts were extracted from four different videos from the official Formula 1 YouTube channel. It was found that Leclerc frequently used speech acts such as directives (e.g., do something, please!), expressives (e.g., Well done, guys!), and assertives (e.g., I can go faster, guys!) in his radio communications with his race engineer. It was revealed that Leclerc’s speech mainly functions to ask questions (e.g., Did everybody complete a lap on slicks?), give commands (e.g., stop talking to me in the corners, please), express emotions (e.g., Amazing!) among others. Moreover, this research highlights the influential role of the situational context on Leclerc’s speech acts, particularly that which is related to the Formula 1 sports discourse. The study suggests for analyses on perlocutionary effect of these speech acts on the audience at home as well as looking at how effective communication through speech acts can be utilised for teamwork, team cohesion, and overall performance and success of a Formula 1 team.