2014 Australian GP qualifying team radio transcript

With the new cars gving the tams so much to get on top of at the first race weekend of the year, rain was the last thing the teams wanted to see in qualifying.

But the Melbourne weather didn’t feel like being helpful, and doused the track with rain to give the drivers yet another challenging variable to contender with.

Unlike last year, when a downpour forced qualifying to be postponed until the following day, there were no interruptions in the running. But the drivers were visibly fighting to keep their cars under control.

The session produced stand-out performances from new Red Bul driver Daniel Ricciardo and rookies Kevin Magnussen and Daniil Kvyat. And of course Lewis Hamilton, who took pole position despite a lurid slide in the middle of his lap.

Here’s how the session unfolded as heard through the broadcast team radio chatter.

2014 Australian Grand Prix qualifying team radio transcript

Phase	Time	From	To	Message
Pre	00:24	Peter Bonnington	Lewis Hamilton	OK Lewis. We’ll do a start from where you’re sat, but don’t engage RS modes until late. I will give you a nod.
Pre	00:02	Tony Ross	Nico Rosberg	So you need to let Lewis go first.
Q1	17:11	Tony Ross	Nico Rosberg	And just lots of warming, because the tyres will be cold after that. Lots of warming, weaving and braking. We will tell you later whether we want you to go for the first or second timed lap.
Q1	16:57	Tony Ross	Nico Rosberg	Nico, we will go for lap one. So temperatures are… eight, front and rear. So big braking, lots of weaving.
Q1	16:18	Simon Rennie	Daniel Ricciardo	OK Daniel, still looking at 20 minutes away for the rain. We expect a dry Q1.
Q1	15:00	Craig Gardiner	Esteban Gutierrez	Esteban, we can push a little bit more to keep up. The tyres are on the cold side.
Q1	14:35	Mark Slade	Pastor Maldonado	OK Pastor, we need to box this lap please. Box this lap. We have no ‘H’.
Q1	13:49	Ayao Komatsu	Romain Grosjean	OK Romain, we need to stay on this switch setting for the next timed lap.
Q1		Romain Grosjean	Ayao Komatsu	The engine is still not working.
Q1		Ayao Komatsu	Romain Grosjean	OK, understood.
Q1	12:53	Guillaume Rocquelin	Sebastian Vettel	…and hit reverse to start your timed lap at the last possible minute.
Q1	12:28	Andrea Stella	Fernando Alonso	Fernando, box. Box now, we put the soft.
Q1	11:32	Peter Bonnington	Lewis Hamilton	So, tyres are at 120 front to rear, so brake magic on.
Q1	10:40	Simon Rennie	Daniel Ricciardo	OK Daniel, we are just prepared to run again. I’ll keep you updated with what the plan is. Nice job there, mate.
Q1	9:56	Dave Robson	Jenson Button	So JB, that’s a good lap on a used tyre. We’re currently P4.
Q1		Jenson Button	Dave Robson	Err, the cockpit’s getting very hot compared to normal.
Q1	8:48	Max Chilton	Gary Gannon	(Not 100% clear) Last lap was a lot better than the second lap. There’s still just a (distorted) apex understeer, which is making snap-oversteer at turn… err… whatever I’m at now. Seven. Er, nine.
Q1		Gary Gannon	Max Chilton	OK Max, understood. We’ll put more tyre pressure in so they should come up quicker. We’ll go for one timed lap and we’ll put some flap on – half a turn of flap on.
Q1	7:17	Sebastian Vettel	Guillaume Rocquelin	Light rain begins to fall on the circuit OK, there’s rain drops coming now.
Q1		Guillaume Rocquelin	Sebastian Vettel	Understood.
Q1	6:25	Pastor Maldonado	Mark Slade	Maldonado spins at turn three on soft dry tyres on the now damp track It’s raining
Q1		Mark Slade	Pastor Maldonado	Yep. Understood
Q1	6:18	Sebastian Vettel	Guillaume Rocquelin	OK, there’s rain now. Rain around turn nine, ten.
Q1	5:50	Peter Bonnington	Lewis Hamilton	All cars on circuit pit. OK Lewis, so very slippery on track now. Exercise caution. Sector three very slippery.
Q1	4:14	Xevi Pujolar	Jean-Eric Vergne	Gutierrez has rejoined the circuit And we’ll get the car ready for Q2 now, because the track will not get any faster.
Q1	1:02	Craig Gardiner	Esteban Gutierrez	So obvious be careful out there, Esteban. We use it only as a balance check for tomorrow.
Q1	0:47	Jean-Eric Vergne	Xevi Pujolar	Sarcastic This is fantastic. First time in the wet for qualifying with this kind of engine. Beautiful.
Q1	0:37	Romain Grosjean	Ayao Komatsu	sighs I guess this is the end.
Q1		Ayao Komatsu	Romain Grosjean	Yeah. Unfortunately, yes.
Q1		Romain Grosjean	Ayao Komatsu	Those tyres are undriveable in those conditions. It’s dangerous. Plus, there’s problems on the downshift. It’s very messy.
Q1		Ayao Komatsu	Romain Grosjean	Understood.
Q1	0:00	Olivier Helvig	Alberto’	Vergne’s channel OK Alberto, on the front flap we go minus four. Minus four degrees.
Q1		Jean-Eric Vergne	Olivier Helvig	Olivier, can you give me a map for the braking, or at least tell me which brake shape I should use for a little bit less front power at the end of braking? I can see the Sauber struggling a lot of locking the front at the end of braking, even though he was really slow.
Q1	0:00	Xevi Pujolar	Jean-Eric Vergne	OK Jev, we’re going for set 2-1. So Inter.
Q1	0:00	Tim Wright	Kamui Kobayashi	OK Kamui, so we’ve gone down two degrees. We’re on full wets and we’ve reset your brake balance. We have three minutes to go. And basically, in regards to fuelling, we should be able to do the whole session like this. And obviously we could come in and change to intermediates if conditions improve.
Q2	15:00	Tim Wright	Kamui Kobayashi	OK Kamui, the rain’s definitely getting lighter here. I don’t think we have anything to lose by going out on full wet – at least seeing where it is.
Q2		Kamui Kobayashi	Tim Wright	OK. I think it’s a predictable tyre. If track was getting really dry, it makes sense to go straight away with inter tyre. But in this condition, we start with understeer on the track. If rain is stopping, I prefer to go with inter tyre.
Q2		Tim Wright	Kamui Kobayashi	OK Kamui. Yeah, obviously. When you previously went out on circuit it looked to you like it was very wet. The rain looks like it’s backed off a bit, but I don’t think track condition would’ve changed a lot. So we’ll go on the full wets and we’ll be ready for inters. It’s 15 minutes, Kamui, so we think that will be eight timed.
Q2	13:40	Peter Bonnington	Lewis Hamilton	Massa runs onto gravel at turn nine OK, so Massa off turn nine on the out lap.
Q2	13:01	Mark Temple	Kevin Magnussen	We think Kvyat in front is on a full wet, everyone else is on inter. Keep warming the brakes.
Q2	12:51	Andrea Stella	Fernando Alonso	OK, it could be that the rain increases into the session, so we open up the gap and we work properly from the very first run.
Q2	12:14	Gianpiero Lambiase	Nico Hulkenberg	We had a fuel pressure issue. There’s plenty of fuel in it, so don’t worry about that.
Q2	11:08	Marco Matassa	Daniil Kvyat	Kvyat is on the full wet tyres More rain expected, Daniil. More rain expected. Look after your tyres.
Q2	10:14	Peter Bonnington	Lewis Hamilton	Seven tenths to Nico, P1. So we can go again on the next lap.
Q2	10:08	Tony Ross	Nico Rosberg	So Nico, look after the tyres and push on lap three.
Q2	8:46	Jonathan Eddollls	Valtteri Bottas	Try and keep temperature in all of the brakes. Front-right brake is on the cool side, so if there’s anything you can do to help with that.
Q2	8:13	Dave Robson	Jenson Button	OK Jenson, that’s a really good lap. Currently P3.
Q2	7:53	Guillaume Rocquelin	Sebastian Vettel	OK Sebastian, the pace is 1’45. 1’45.6. You’re currently P8.
Q2	6:33	Adrian Sutil	Marco Schupbach	The track just gets better every lap.
Q2	5:56	Simon Rennie	Daniel Ricciardo	Ricciardo splits the two Mercedes at the top of the timesheets Pace is very good at the moment. Pace is very good.
Q2	4:41	Dave Robson	Jenson Button	Button goes quickest, only to be beaten by Ricciardo Yellow G2, please. Yellow G2. Let’s have a hard in-lap please. Quick in-lap Jenson. We’re going to pit and fit a new inter, but you’re currently P1. P1.
Q2	2:28	Mark Temple	Kevin Magnussen	OK Kevin, we will get a single timed lap on this set of inters. Single timed lap. Be careful of Hamilton behind on a timed lap. Let’s get some brake warm-up and try and get ourselves a gap before the end of the lap.
Q2	0:53	Tony Ross	Nico Rosberg	Just complete this next timed lap. Going for this next timed lap.
Q2	0:00	Kimi Raikkonen	Antonio Spagnolo	Raikkonen has crashed exiting turn three. Vettel is currently at risk of elimination I had traffic and then… I hit the wall.
Q2		Simon Rennie	Daniel Ricciardo	Vettel completes his final lap but fails to advance into Q3 Very good job mate. P2. Three hundreths behind Rosberg. Good job mate.
Q2		Guillaume Rocquelin	Sebastian Vettel	Er, you’re currently P12.
Q2		Sebastian Vettel	Guillaume Rocquelin	Yeah, I saw that…
Q2		Dave Robson	Jenson Button	All cars have now completed their final flying laps. P10. P10. So we are through to Q3.
Q2		Dave Robson	Jenson Button	OK Jenson, I’m afraid I’ve got that wrong. We finished P11. P11.
Q2		Jenson Button	Dave Robson	That means a couple of cars went quite a bit… well, must have gone quicker in the… not in the yellow flag zone, but around that lap.
Q2		Daniil Kvyat	Marco Matassa	Both Toro Rossos are through to Q3 … I’d also like a little bit more efficiency from the brakes. Probably… it could be a circuit where too much rearwards, or I never…
Q2		Marco Matassa	Daniil Kvyat	Interrupting How was your braking? You felt confidence in that?
Q2		Daniil Kvyat	Marco Matassa	Not really. I would like a little bit more.
Q2		Marco Matassa	Daniil Kvyat	OK, we are looking into it. I will let you know.
Q2		Jean-Eric Vergne	Xevi Pujolar	There is more rain on track now. It’s raining more.
Q2		Xevi Pujolar	Jean-Eric Vergne	Copy that, Jev.
Q2		Xevi Pujolar	Jean-Eric Vergne	OK, what do you think on the track condition and the tyres at the moment, Jev?
Q2		Jean-Eric Vergne	Xevi Pujolar	At the moment, is still inters, for sure.
Q2		Xevi Pujolar	Jean-Eric Vergne	So the plan is, we could do three timed, one timed, and that would be nil-nil. It’s more rain now, so set three-one to the car. We keep the inters in the garage.
Q3	11:37	Tony Ross	Nico Rosberg	And just cool the tyres around the lap, Nico. Let us know if you want to swap to inter.
Q3	10:45	Tony Ross	Nico Rosberg	So all cars are on X-wet [full wet weather tyres]apart from inter on Alonso.
Q3	10:10	Andrea Stella	Fernando Alonso	OK, we check the situation. If we pit, we’d still have time for four timed laps, so is not a big problem.
Q3	8:32	Jonathan Eddollls	Valtteri Bottas	Alonso’s first timed lap is much slower than those on full wets Alonso behind is on a timed on inters, but he’s not that quick.
Q3	7:55	Tony Ross	Nico Rosberg	Ricciardo is currently second behind Rosberg on full wets Pushing on this lap also. If we’re slower, we will box for another set of tyres.
Q3	7:20	Simon Rennie	Daniel Ricciardo	OK Daniel, still expect light rain until the end. Still expect light rain.
Q3	6:27	Simon Rennie	Daniel Ricciardo	Diff six, diff six. What do you think about the conditions? Is it ready for inters?
Q3		Daniel Ricciardo	Simon Rennie	I think it will be if we keep running, yep… Sorry, what I meant to say is I think it will be if the rain stops falling.
Q3		Simon Rennie	Daniel Ricciardo	OK, understood. Stay out, stay out.
Q3	5:45	Andrea Stella	Fernando Alonso	In Italian OK, Rosberg has put on ‘extremes’ [full wet weather tyres]. Box now, box.
Q3	5:35	Tony Ross	Nico Rosberg	Rosberg pits as Hamilton takes provisional pole So, we are fitting wet tyres, Nico. X-wet tyres. No flap adjust – set 73.
Q3	4:50	Gianpiero Lambiase	Nico Hulkenberg	Ricciardo has also pitted for intermediates Listen to me! You need to push now to get in the box and get the laps, because we should’ve pitted on the previous one. So get a move on.
Q3	4:05	Simon Rennie	Daniel Ricciardo	Need to get amongst it on the out lap. Put some work into these tyres on the out lap.
Q3	2:24	Nico Rosberg	Tony Ross	Rosberg loses the rear and runs through the gravel at turn nine I went off. Going for the next lap.
Q3		Tony Ross	Nico Rosberg	Copy, copy. Go strat one. Strat one.
Q3	0:17	Peter Bonnington	Lewis Hamilton	OK Lewis, one more lap. One more lap. Use overtake.
Q3	0:00	Daniil Kvyat	Marco Matassa	Kvyat loses the car on the turn to turn 11 and hits the inside barrier, off line OK guys, I hit the wall. What should I do? I can get to the box, the wheels are fine. Well basically… Ahh, aquaplaning! Was a little bit too much for the inter.

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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2014 Australian Grand Prix

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16 comments on “2014 Australian GP qualifying team radio transcript”

OOliver
15th March 2014, 13:18

Is there a rule that says the first driver at the end of the pit goes first?
Because I’ve never heard of that before.
1. Sam (@)
  15th March 2014, 13:50
  
  It is a ‘rule’ for each team. Like we know of red bull that thay always let one driver go first in entire race weekend and the other one the next weekend.
2. Bleu (@bleu)
  15th March 2014, 13:53
  
  If I understand your question there is. Räikkönen got grid penalty last year at Montreal for breaking that rule, along with Ricciardo IIRC.
andae23 (@andae23)
15th March 2014, 13:36

Fantastic effort, guys!

This is fantastic. First time in the wet for qualifying with this kind of engine. Beautiful.

Wonderful comment from Vergne
1. Tyler (@tdog)
  15th March 2014, 22:24
  
  Agreed @andae23 although a little surprising. When the rain started falling I thought Vergne would be one of the happier ones, given that he is so good in the wet. I am sure by the end of Q3 he was quite pleased with the weather!
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
15th March 2014, 13:44

My favorite comment was towards the end of Q1 when the rain was already quite heavy and Grosjean got a bit shouty after being told to go faster. I didn’t see it above, but heard it on the Sky broadcast. Something like:
“OK Roman, you need to go fa…” “I CAN’T!”

Love this feature guys.
1. Dom Dum (@visof)
  15th March 2014, 15:06
  
  I heard it too and didn’t see it above. It was one of my favorite too.
2. Greup (@greup)
  15th March 2014, 19:27
  
  yes i heard it too. I seem to remember that the commentators immideately declared that it would be a classic meme.
Max Jacobson (@vettel1)
15th March 2014, 14:58

With the new cars gving the tams so much to get on top of at the first race weekend

I think Mr. O’Shanter was restricted to reigning horses Keith!
reiter (@reiter)
15th March 2014, 15:00

I love how excited Kvyat sounds. He’s like a little kid on Christmas. Even after he crashed out he sounded super excited on the radio.
OneBHK (@onebhk)
15th March 2014, 15:32

Glad to see some English transmissions between Stella & Alonso
Hockenhull (@squib)
15th March 2014, 16:39

Pity about the lack of raving engine noise
JCost (@jcost)
15th March 2014, 17:59

OK Jenson, I’m afraid I’ve got that wrong. We finished P11. P11.

Tasty. :)
SBRslow
15th March 2014, 18:00

Keith, to your knowledge, and before you started publishing these transcripts last year, did the teams assign someone to pore over other teams’ transmissions? And do they decode phrases like “brake magic” and “diff six” and the like? What percentage of these transmissions are edited out because they contain proprietary knowledge, or something that the FIA deems to be inappropriate? Thanks very much for compiling all this material — it’s a great feature.
timi (@timi)
15th March 2014, 22:08

The Race radio transcript will be a great read. I wonder how many times fuel gets brought up
gwenouille (@gwenouille)
16th March 2014, 14:35

NOt sure about that one from RAI:
“I had traffic and then… I hit the wall.”

It seemed to me him spinning had nothing to do with traffic…