2013 Brazilian Grand Prix qualifying team radio transcript

2013 Brazilian Grand Prix

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Rain made for a hectic qualifying session in Brazil which caught out several drivers.

Q1 began on a wet track and with conditions getting worse several drivers were under pressure to make the cut for Q2. Not lease Jean-Eric Vergne, who was unhappy about being sent onto the track too late and had problems with his DRS. However he managed to reach Q2 and progressed on to Q3.

More rain fell at the end of Q2 which led to a lengthy delay before the final top-ten shoot-out began.

Wet conditions helped Fernando Alonso achieve his best qualifying position for Ferrari since Bahrain but he still felt the need to apologise after making a costly mistake on his quickest lap.

Here’s more of what was being said on the radio during qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

2013 Brazilian Grand Prix qualifying team radio transcript

Phase Time From To Message
Pre Giedo van der Garde Juan Pablo Ramirez ?���?�entry ten, no?
Pre Juan Pablo Ramirez Giedo van der Garde Yes. Diff entry ten, mid six, exit two. Brake balance 53%.
Pre Tim Wright Charles Pic There’s always a possibility conditions are getting worse so we may go very soon on intermediates, we will let you know.
Pre Tim Wright Charles Pic OK Charles. So, we’ve got one minute to go. If you feel the track is too qet for Inters then we can always stop for full wets.
Pre Brad Joyce Adrian Sutil Marussia were fined after both drivers cut into the queue to exit the pits and therefore “did not leave the pit lane in the order that they arrived at the start of qualifying”.
OK Adrian. There’s obviously a Marussia trying to edge in there, we could do without that happening. We’ve also unfortunately got two Caterhams as well.
Q1 18:14 Peter Bonnington Lewis Hamilton OK Lewis. So you have good track position. You’ve got Pic and Van der Garde behind, so we don’t want to let them through. Continue to charge the battery. Brake temps are coming up nicely, so those fronts are coming in, so they’re good. Rears are better balanced than this morning.
Q1 Lewis Hamilton Peter Bonnington There is a dry line starting to show.
Q1 Peter Bonnington Lewis Hamilton OK. Copy that. So let’s go black button on, charge batteries as much as you can.
Q1 16:45 Andrea Stella Fernando Alonso Track will be clear. We work for six plus three. Give us update on the track condition as well.
Q1 Fernando Alonso Andrea Stella Er.. ? [one nine?]
Q1 Andrea Stella Fernando Alonso OK, so let’s carry on with these tyres and we’ll see how it develops.
Q1 16:36 Nico Hulkenberg Marco Schupbach There’s a few dry patches in sector one. Also sector two.
Q1 16:23 Andrea Stella Fernando Alonso OK. We keep warming up the brakes, even if it looks OK.
Q1 Fernando Alonso Andrea Stella Yeah, if it stops to rain a dry line will arrive.
Q1 Andrea Stella Fernando Alonso OK, brake balance mid, charge plus two.
Q1 14:43 Mark Temple Sergio Perez Checo, currently P4. Looks close to cross-over for dry tyres, what’s it like out there?
Q1 Sergio Perez Mark Temple It’s too early. Too early. It’s quite wet in some parts. But these are new tyres.
Q1 14:05 Romain Grosjean Ayao Komatsu After gesticulating to Chilton
Completely stupid Marussia.
Q1 Ayao Komatsu Romain Grosjean OK, copy that. We’ve got plenty of time.
Q1 14:00 Ayao Komatsu Romain Grosjean Let’s do a standard KERS release, Romain please. Down to 85 after turn two.
Q1 13:30 Gary Gannon Max Chilton Some still going green, people still going green. Watch the cars behind. Let’s push this lap.
Q1 12:32 Tony Ross Nico Rosberg So rain is increasing.
Q1 Nico Rosberg Tony Ross The track is getting slower, the track is getting slower I think.
Q1 12:25 Tony Ross Nico Rosberg So just try and keep the temperature in the tyres. Fronts are cool, Nico. Let the car behind go, it’s Bianchi. Next car Bianchi, four seconds.
Q1 11:33 Simon Rennie Mark Webber We are now P9. More rain in the pitlane, now. You have 15 seconds gap behind you to Hamilton.
Q1 Mark Webber Simon Rennie The track was gone in the middle, mate. The track is off so we’ll just ? [hard to hear]
Q1 Simon Rennie Mark Webber OK mate, understood. We want to keep circulating for the moment. Keep going for the moment.
Q1 11:01 Jean-Eric Vergne Phil Charles We went out too late, why did we wait? The rain was coming and there was dry patches on the track.
Q1 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne Don’t worry about that, just get yourself ready. We’re going.
Q1 9:56 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne Box, Jev, box. We’re currently P16. We’ve seen more rain middle sector. Can you confirm you want to box?
Q1 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne Vergne presses ‘pit confirm’ button
Pit confirm understood. How much rain? Is it still Inters?
Q1 Jean-Eric Vergne Phil Charles Still Inters.
Q1 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne OK, you just want to fit another new set? Any flap adjust?
Q1 Jean-Eric Vergne Phil Charles No flap adjust, no.
Q1 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne OK, understood. We’ll just fit the new tyres.
Q1 8:28 GianPiero Lambiase Paul di Resta OK, we’ll get the car prepped with a new set of tyres and ready to go if we think we need to. That was a really good first lap. Nailed. Good job. How’s the balance?
Q1 Paul di Resta GianPiero Lambiase Yeah, while the rain’s on there, I don’t really ? [can’t understand] ’cause turn one was a bit dry and through turn three so I think it’ll be hard with the weather as it is at the moment.
Q1 7:33 Mark Salde Heikki Kovalainen Follow mechanics instructions for a garage pitstop.
Q1 6:48 Jules Bianchi Paul Davison Do you think first push?
Q1 Paul Davison Jules Bianchi Yeah, I think we should try first push. We’re going for four timed laps. Track is clear around you, you’ve got a big gap behind.
Q1 6:14 Francesco Nenci Esteban Gutierrez OK, box Esteban, box. Front wing for new Inters?
Q1 Esteban Gutierrez Francesco Nenci I want to keep like this.
Q1 Francesco Nenci Esteban Gutierrez OK, keep. So we will do two flying laps on Inters.
Q1 5:23 Esteban Gutierrez Francesco Nenci I mean to be honest comparing the track in the first lap, it’s impossible to do the time.
Q1 Francesco Nenci Esteban Gutierrez Other people manage. So, do we prefer to do two flying laps or three flying laps?
Q1 Esteban Gutierrez Francesco Nenci Three
Q1 Francesco Nenci Esteban Gutierrez Copy.
Q1 3:36 Jules Bianchi Paul Davison I do a quick lap.
Q1 Paul Davison Jules Bianchi OK mate, understood. Mixture six, mix six.
Q1 Jules Bianchi Paul Davison [Distorted]
Q1 Paul Davison Jules Bianchi Just watch for Gutierrez around you there. There’s a big gap behind Gutierrez.
Q1 Jules Bianchi Paul Davison Gutierrez is on an out-lap, right?
Q1 Paul Davison Jules Bianchi Yes, correct. Gutierrez is on an outlap behind.
Q1 Jules Bianchi Paul Davison OK, he is in front now. I am going.
Q1 2:59 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne On the next lap we should cool down. We have plenty of margin to cool down.
Q1 2:11 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne [Kovalainen] behind you and a very slow cool down required. [Kovalainen] and Chilton. [Kovalainen] two seconds behind you, Chilton five behind him, then a gap to Daniel.
Q1 1:53 Jules Bianchi Paul Davison Tyre temp?
Q1 Paul Davison Jules Bianchi Front minus five, rear minus five. So that’s a good place to start a lap.
Q1 1:10 Esteban Gutierrez Francesco Nenci Cool down.
Q1 Francesco Nenci Esteban Gutierrez Maximum 20 seconds. We’re close, Esteban we can make it, come on. We can make it. We need one tenth more because there is more people on track, track is quicker. Sutil behind is on out-lap, remember not more than 20 seconds.
Q1 1:01 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne More people improving now in all sectors.
Q1 0:33 Andrew Murdoch Pastor Maldonado OK Pastor, get yourself ready for the next timed lap.
Q1 Pastor Maldonado Andrew Murdoch Copy.
Q1 Andrew Murdoch Pastor Maldonado OK. Go back to release eleven.
Q1 0:00 Brad Joyce Adrian Sutil How are you feeling, Adrian? Do you think you can go faster than you’ve already done, or should we box?
Q1 Adrian Sutil Brad Joyce I don’t think it’s enough.
Q1 Brad Joyce Adrian Sutil Keep on this, Adrian. We need to keep on this lap.
Q1 0:00 Francesco Nenci Esteban Gutierrez Kovalainen is improving. We need a 26.2 so you can do it, come on Esteban, one more lap.
Q1 0:00 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne OK Jev, we’re through.
Q1 0:00 Marco Matassa Daniel Ricciardo We need to recharge the KERS. Long brakes, long brakes.
Q1 Daniel Ricciardo Marco Matassa Understood. It seems I get a peak from the tyres on the out-lap, then just struggle to keep any grip in both axles. Even if the track starts to dry.
Q1 0:00 Andrew Murdoch Pastor Maldonado P17, Vergne jumped us in that run.
Q1 Jean-Eric Vergne Phil Charles I did press the DRS button at the second straight, but it didn’t work. They were running from me in a straight line.
Q2 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne OK, we’ll have a look with Luca now.
Q2 Jean-Eric Vergne Phil Charles But it’s harder [distorted] doesn’t work for me.
Q2 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne Balance? Any adjustment or are you happy?
Q2 Jean-Eric Vergne Phil Charles If I’m happy? Don’t really know, but the front flap adjustment don’t change anything.
Q2 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne Understood. We’ll leave it the same.
Q2 15:00 Daniel Ricciardo Marco Matassa It’s quite difficult to know. For sure braking and stability is on the edge, so where we are is probably more or less there. I bet through six and eleven I have quite a lot of understeer.
Q2 15:00 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne Recovery one, please.
Q2 14:23 Tony Ross Nico Rosberg Brake balance forwards a bit. Let’s start warming the tyres. And diff init to seven please Nico, when you can.
Q2 13:11 Simon Rennie Mark Webber OK, you have 25 second space behind. If you can, make space in a low speed corner, make space at low speed. We need to sync gear three.
Q2 12:37 Guillaume Rocquelin Sebastian Vettel KERS map 13. One three.
Q2 11:07 Tony Ross Nico Rosberg So just a slower lap now. We’re expecting just light rain. Front temperatures are nine. Rears are nine. Nine second gap to Lewis. You are P1 at the moment – I’ll keep you advised on it. So just looking after the tyres. Brake balance forwards to keep the fronts warm.
Q2 Nico Rosberg Tony Ross But that wasn’t a really good lap because the temperatures either side are not up yet.
Q2 Tony Ross Nico Rosberg OK, copy that.
Q2 10:09 Simon Rennie Mark Webber We expect this light rain for five minutes. Gap behind is 12 seconds to Vettel.
Q2 9:00 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne You can cool down a bit more. Daniel behind on a push lap about seven seconds behind you. So let Daniel go and then big gap to Bottas. Last corner – turn later, don’t push so hard the entry and exit wider. Let Daniel through now.
Q2 7:58 Lewis Hamilton Peter Bonnington It’s not too bad. It’s not too bad.
Q2 Peter Bonnington Lewis Hamilton You’ve got Nico behind, he’s on a lap. You’re currently P3. So purple sector one, three tenths in the middle sector, I’ll update you.
Q2 6:48 Rob Smedley Felipe Massa Should be boxing at the end of this lap and then we’ll pit and put another set on. What do you think about the track?
Q2 Felipe Massa Rob Smedley The track is similar rain I would say.
Q2 Rob Smedley Felipe Massa KERS recharge now, three clicks up and brake. Charge the KERS on the way in, three clicks up and brake.
Q2 6:06 Adrian Sutil Brad Joyce Pit stop?
Q2 Brad Joyce Adrian Sutil Yes, pit stop. Pit. Stop. For Intermediate tyres.
Q2 5:10 GianPiero Lambiase Paul di Resta Paul, temperatures on this set are better than they were on the first timed lap of the first set. Expect quite a grip level. We’re currently P14. P1, 26.5.
Q2 3:22 Guillaume Rocquelin Sebastian Vettel What are you thinking, Sebastian?
Q2 Sebastian Vettel Guillaume Rocquelin I’m thinking tyres are OK. Of course new tyres will be a bit quicker, but shouldn’t be too much. Just need to get the exit of the last sector right and then should be able to improve by a chunk.
Q2 Guillaume Rocquelin Sebastian Vettel Understood. Work on this. Watch out for Sutil behind you on a timed lap.
Q2 1:48 Tony Ross Nico Rosberg And you’ll get one more timed lap. So Grosjean just went quickest in front of you, so suggest you go for the next timed lap.
Q2 0:33 Daniel Ricciardo Marco Matassa Not improving this lap.
Q2 Marco Matassa Daniel Ricciardo Box, Daniel, box. Recovery seven. Sutil seven seconds behind.
Q2 0:00 Simon Rennie Mark Webber Box, Mark, box. Use all the KERS.
Q2 0:00 Mark Temple Sergio Perez Perez has hit the wall on the run to Ferradura
OK, Checo. Are you OK? And Checo, can you hear me? Are you OK?
Q2 Sergio Perez Mark Temple Yes, I’m OK. I’m OK.
Q2 Mark Temple Sergio Perez OK, make sure you switch the car off completely, please. That was, um, pretty tough then. I think the track was just getting a bit worse. We’ll have a good look at that anyway when you get back. We finished P14, Jenson behind us in P15.
Q2 0:00 Jonathan Eddollls Valtteri Bottas P13, Valtteri. Good try. That rain came just on that last lap, unfortunately.
Q2 0:00 Marco Matassa Daniel Ricciardo The start of Q3 is delayed while marshals clear Perez’s car
OK, now rain intensity is increasing. At the moment it is clearly extreme conditions. Let’s wait a second. At the moment we keep the Inters, and let’s wait for the extreme call, OK?
Q2 Daniel Ricciardo Marco Matassa In case we are going with the extreme, we can go down not as much on the front wing. I would suggest one step. What do you think about it?
Q2 Marco Matassa Daniel Ricciardo Err?���?� I would go a bit more. I would go a bit more than that. I was thinking between two and three. Erm?���?� yeah. Between two and three, that’s what I’m thinking.
Q2 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne Release two, please Jev.
Q2 Jean-Eric Vergne Phil Charles Try to give me less info about this when I start the lap, please. You told me last time KERS release what- I don’t know. When it wasn’t working, then one.
Q2 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne Gearbox eight. OK, the start of Q3 delayed by ten minutes, Jev. Ten minute delay.
Q2 Marco Matassa Daniel Ricciardo The Safety Car has been circulating the track for over five minutes
Three minutes to green light. Three minutes and a half.
Q2 Daniel Ricciardo Marco Matassa Race Control confirms Q3 delayed by another ten minutes due to conditions
I still think to go out with this much standing water makes no sense to be first.
Q2 Marco Matassa Daniel Ricciardo Yep. Now we change our mind. It is not proper to go out first.
Q2 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne OK Jev, further ten minute delay.
Q2 Jean-Eric Vergne Phil Charles OK, I jump out. I need to.. yeah. You know what I need?���?�
Q2 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne Yeah, no problem. It’s actually eleven-and-a-half minutes from now, so if you want to go to the toilet, no problem.
Q2 Marco Matassa Daniel Ricciardo Sorry Dan, there is a further delay. Another five minutes.
Q2 Daniel Ricciardo Marco Matassa I’m going to get out, for the toilet. Is that OK? Thanks.
Q2 Marco Matassa Daniel Ricciardo A further ten minute delay is announced
Another ten minute delay. The next report will be in ten minutes.
Q2 Jean-Eric Vergne Phil Charles Doesn’t look like it’s getting any better, does it?
Q2 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne It isn’t right now, but the radar is saying it will get a little better. There are some patches that are breaking up as they’re coming our way.
Q2 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne Yet again, race control postpones Q3 by ten minutes
Further ten minute delay, Jev. So 3:30, early start time.
Q2 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne Race Control confirm that Q3 will begin at 3:30 as schedulled
DRS is disabled at the moment.
Q3 10:00 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne Radio check, Jev, radio check. Try again.
Q3 Jean-Eric Vergne Phil Charles [Distorted]
?���?�ou?���?�ound..like a r..bot.
Q3 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne testing radio
One two three?
Q3 Jean-Eric Vergne Phil Charles You sounded like a robot.
Q3 Phil Charles Jean-Eric Vergne No DRS. You’ll need to work your brakes really hard on your out-lap.
Q3 10:00 Simon Rennie Mark Webber OK Mark. When we do go, you will need to sync all gears. You’ll need to sync gears on the way out.
Q3 Mark Webber Simon Rennie Just synced down now mate.
Q3 Simon Rennie Mark Webber Fifty seconds to go. Five-zero seconds to go.
Q3 9:23 Marco Schupbach Nico Hulkenberg Track clear. Everybody on outlap. DRS will stay disabled for the whole session.
Q3 8:20 Tony Ross Nico Rosberg So temperatures are: six front, six rear. So just warming those brakes up. Mix two.
Q3 7:40 Andrea Stella Fernando Alonso You think the track will be OK for Inters in a couple of laps? Overrevs on, charge plus two.
Q3 Fernando Alonso Andrea Stella Yes, will be OK.
Q3 Andrea Stella Fernando Alonso Understood.
Q3 7:00 Mark Webber Simon Rennie Very low rear grip at the moment, mate.
Q3 Simon Rennie Mark Webber OK Mark, understood. Keep up the pace. Diff five. Keep up the pace for this next timed lap.
Q3 6:27 Ayao Komatsu Romain Grosjean Box, Romain, box.
Q3 Romain Grosjean Ayao Komatsu Box.
Q3 5:55 Tony Ross Nico Rosberg So just watch that white line. Box, box, box, for Inter tyres. Go tyre position three on the dash.
Q3 5:08 Guillaume Rocquelin Sebastian Vettel OK, Sebastian. What do you want to do?
Q3 Sebastian Vettel Guillaume Rocquelin Intermediate. Intermediate.
Q3 Guillaume Rocquelin Sebastian Vettel Understood. Box, box. Sebastian you can drop down a little, because Mark is coming in in front of you to change tyres.
Q3 5:04 GianPiero Lambiase Paul di Resta Paul temperatures on this set are better than they were for the first timed lap for the first set. Expect higher grip level.
Q3 3:55 Peter Bonnington Lewis Hamilton OK Lewis, so box, box. Box, box. We will take the Inters if you agree. You’re currently P3, three tenths to Vettel, P1.
Q3 Lewis Hamilton Peter Bonnington There’s still quite a lot of water out here. I’d definitely say the middle sector is a bit drier.
Q3 Peter Bonnington Lewis Hamilton So Lewis, we do think it will be Inter.
Q3 3:09 Tony Ross Nico Rosberg We think there’s rain at the end so make sure the first laps count.
Q3 1:34 Andrea Stella Fernando Alonso OK, so it’s two minutes now. Two minutes now. It’ll be two laps with the 15-20 second margin. Charge plus two. I’ll let you know about overrevs?���?� overrevs on, overrevs on.
Q3 1:10 Ayao Komatsu Romain Grosjean Make sure you release KERS under 55.
Q3 0:49 Simon Rennie Mark Webber OK, we do have time for one more timed lap. Good time for one more lap after this.
Q3 0:18 Guillaume Rocquelin Sebastian Vettel And last timed lap. You’re starting your last timed.
Q3 0:00 Marco Matassa Daniel Ricciardo KERS release seven. You are P7 for the moment, P7.
Q3 0:00 Simon Rennie Mark Webber OK, mixture two and torque six.
Q3 0:00 Guillaume Rocquelin Sebastian Vettel P1. Atta boy. And can we have downshift high gears, please?
Q3 0:00 Sebastian Vettel Guillaume Rocquelin Unbeliveable! We didn’t need the second attempt. Did it in the first one! Unbelieveable guys. This is quite big because we got the car where we needed it to be. Woohoo! Ole!
Q3 0:00 Fernando Alonso Andrea Stella Can I have the position, please?
Q3 Andrea Stella Fernando Alonso Some additional parts to this message in Italian.
Yes. Negative, Fernando. No problem. Vettel, Rosberg and you, Webber, Hamilton, Grosjean, Ricciardo, Vergne, Felipe, Hulkenberg.
Q3 0:00 Peter Bonnington Lewis Hamilton OK Lewis. So that’s P5. P5. So Vettel P1, Nico P2 with a 27.1. You were 27.6. And we’ll have a bite-point check and P0.
Q3 0:00 Tony Ross Nico Rosberg OK, that’s confirmed, Nico. P10-sorry, P2. All ten cars have finished. Good effort. Well done.
Q3 Nico Rosberg Tony Ross P10?
Q3 Tony Ross Nico Rosberg Negative! Ten cars have finished, it’s P2. So P2. Well done, good effort. So watch the white line on the entry. The order is: Vettel, yourself, Alonso, Webber, Lewis, Grosjean, Ricciardo, Vergne, Massa, Hulkenberg. Well done, good effort.
Q3 0:00 Ross Brawn Nico Rosberg Good drive, Nico. Well done. Very difficult, today. Very easy to trip over. Might have been a bit more juice we could’ve squeezed out of it somewhere, but pretty good overall, well done.
Q3 0:00 Fernando Alonso Andrea Stella Sorry guys.
Q3 Andrea Stella Fernando Alonso I don’t you ever have to say sorry to us.

Phase/time: Refers to point at which message was broadcast. There may be a delay between messages being said and being broadcast. PQ = pre-qualifying.
Message: Repetitive or irrelevant messages omitted. Notes in italics. Highlights in bold.

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2013 Brazilian Grand Prix

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Author information

Will Wood
Will has been a RaceFans contributor since 2012 during which time he has covered F1 test sessions, launch events and interviewed drivers. He mainly...

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4 comments on “2013 Brazilian Grand Prix qualifying team radio transcript”

  1. Profile Photo

    Nick (@npf1)
    24th November 2013, 13:37

    Great work as always, Keith!

    Fernando and Andrea were really talkative this time out. Wonder if we’ll hear more of them in the race.

    1. Profile Photo

      Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
      24th November 2013, 14:49

      @npf1 Will!

  2. Profile Photo

    JamieFranklinF1 (@jamiefranklinf1)
    24th November 2013, 13:39

    That must have been quite a shock for Rosberg at the end! :D

  3. Profile Photo

    yuya (@john-locke)
    24th November 2013, 14:16

    Alonso : Sorry guys
    Stella : I don’t think you ever ever have to say sorry to us

    This is so emotional..

Comments are closed.