2016 European Grand Prix team radio transcript

2016 European Grand Prix

Posted on

| Written by

At the first race weekend of the year Lewis Hamilton was asked what he thought about the new restrictions on team radio communications and whether it would play to his strengths as a driver.

“We’re all in the same boat,” replied Hamilton. “Some of us will handle it better than others. I don’t particularly see there being much of be a problem.”

Hamilton had clearly revised that view in the wake of Sunday’s European Grand Prix. He spent around 15 laps of the race unable to get maximum power from his Mercedes because he was in the wrong engine setting and the rules prevented his team from being able to tell him how to change it.

Kimi Raikkonen was in the same boat and, like Hamilton, even tried to suggest ways around the rule. In both cases their race engineers avoided incurring the wrath of the stewards.

Go ad-free for just £1 per month

>> Find out more and sign up

2016 European Grand Prix team radio transcript

Lap*DriverMessage
7From Kimi RaikkonenThere was some [censored by FOM] plastic flying around I am trying to avoid it.
8To Sebastian Vettel

Box Sebastian, box.
8From Sebastian VettelAre you sure about this? Pace looks good.
8To Sebastian Vettel

We are about to be undercut by Ricciardo, box now.
15From Lewis HamiltonStruggling with my brakes, I’ve got vibration.
19To Kimi Raikkonen

Let’s have him Kimi it’ll change our race if we have him.
22To Pascal Wehrlein

OK Pascal please be careful T8, we have had our final warning so please be careful.
23From Pascal WehrleinI am not cutting turn eight with all four tyres.
27From Lewis HamiltonDerates everywhere. I’m sure that’s not helping. Is there no solution for this?.
27To Lewis Hamilton

We are working on it, Lewis.
27From Lewis HamiltonYou guys need to pick up the pace.
28To Kimi Raikkonen

Thank you Kimi, thank you.
29From Kimi RaikkonenYeah but now you need to tell him to push because I don’t want these in front of me.
30To Kimi Raikkonen

He’s been told.
31From Lewis HamiltonCan I not reset this thing?.
31To Lewis Hamilton

OK Lewis so the problem appears to be with the current mode you’re in.
31From Lewis HamiltonAh, I don’t know what you mean but I don’t know what’s wrong.
32To Lewis Hamilton

Copy that Lewis, hard to say what it is.
32From Carlos Sainz JnrOK I have a problem in the suspension or something.
34From Lewis HamiltonThis is ridiculous guys, I don’t know, looking at my fricking dash every five seconds trying to find a switch that’s in the wrong position. I haven’t changed anything or done something wrong as far as I’m aware.
34To Lewis Hamilton

Yeah Lewis it’s nothing that you’re doing wrong, just got a setting that’s icorrect.
34From Lewis HamiltonIs it HPB?.
34To Lewis Hamilton

I’m afraid I can’t say, Lewis.
35From Lewis HamiltonI may not finish this race because I’m going to try to change everything.
35To Lewis Hamilton

Don’t advise that, Lewis.
35From Lewis HamiltonCan I make a suggestion and you say if it’s OK or not?.
36To Lewis Hamilton

No that’s not allowed. Let’s just get our head down and focus on the job.
39From Kimi RaikkonenHey where the [censored by FOM] is the blue flag.
40To Kimi Raikkonen

We’re on it Kimi there’s nothing we can do with him.
40From Kimi RaikkonenI’ve been following the whole [censored by FOM] lap so…
40To Kimi Raikkonen

We are on it with Charlie, we have complained.
41From Pascal WehrleinI have no brakes any more, completley broken brakes.
43To Fernando Alonso

OK Fernando, we can see the problem getting worse, we need to box this lap.
43From Fernando AlonsoYeah, OK, I cannot downshift for some corners.
44From Lewis HamiltonOK Lewis you’re the fastest car on the track.
44To Lewis Hamilton

No [censored by FOM] man, I’ve got my power back.
46From Kimi RaikkonenIf the handle is normal, it is the same like last race, let’s say?.
46To Kimi Raikkonen

I can’t answer Kimi, I can’t answer, I’m sorry.
46From Kimi RaikkonenFor sure you can say yes or no.
46To Kimi Raikkonen

I can’t Kimi, I can’t.
VLTo Nico Rosberg

Excellent job Nico, excellent job.
VLFrom Nico RosbergYeehaa! Thanks a lot, guys, awesome!.
VLTo Sergio Perez

Well done Checo you did it in style there, well done.
VLFrom Sergio PerezThank you so much guys, so sorry for yesterday. Amazing weekend guys, thank you so much, enjoy it, another podium guys, yeah!.

Lap: Refers to lap message was broadcast on. There may be a delay between messages being said and being broadcast. PR = pre-race; FL = formation lap; VL = victory lap.
Message: Repetitive or irrelevant messages omitted. Notes in italics. Highlights in bold.

Follow F1 Fanatic Live on Twitter for team radio highlights during all live F1 sessions.

European Grand Prix data

    Author information

    Keith Collantine
    Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

    Got a potential story, tip or enquiry? Find out more about RaceFans and contact us here.

    12 comments on “2016 European Grand Prix team radio transcript”

    1. This is [censored by FOM] depressing. FIA only relay radio communication that caught on bleeping machine. F1 need stricter moaning restrictions.

    2. These transcripts are a bit shorter than they used to be!

    3. Clearly loads left out because we know for a fact that Vettel didn’t box, and I doubt he just ignored the team rather than saying no.

    4. My guess is that the original comments from all drivers about the ban had to do with “coaching” and not with solving technical issues created by the team, but correctable by the driver if properly instructed. Have we all not noticed or heard a team give instructions to “park the car” or to “box” and aren’t these instructions just as telling someone to move switch “b” to position one?

      1. Instructions to park the car, or box, do not assist the driver to go faster.

      2. tgu (@thegrapeunwashed)
        23rd June 2016, 8:42

        Yeah, advice like “You’re braking too much in turn 4” was appalling. But Hamilton’s car was clearly in the wrong mode and not operating well, I can’t see why the team can’t advise him to correct it. Perhaps the FIA could provide someone to vet these messages before they are sent, so that engineering messages are allowed through, but coaching messages remain excluded.

    5. These team radio transcripts used to make me sad, now they just annoy me. The radio rules have gone far to far. I totally agree that the teams shouldn’t be allowed to tell their drivers to “break 5m later into turn X”, but I really don’t have an issue with them saying “Ok Seb, Torque Map 1”. The cars are complicated, that the reason we used to hear more instructions from the pit wall. It’s not because the drivers are being spoon fed instructions or told how to drive. Sanity has to prevail here.

      That said, I would keep the restriction insofar as it applies to start procedures…

    6. These transcripts have become truly pathetic. Well done F1. Your mission to remove spontaneity and excitement from the sport is proceeding apace. Give yourselves a pay rise.

    7. The published transcripts appear to be little more (or less) than what is heard during the race broadcast… Aside from anything else there should be at least 22 calls to pit and more like 30 in reality…

      1. This has always been the case: if FOM don’t broadcast it I can’t transcribe it!

        1. Many apologies, I didn’t realise it was transcribed by a yourself… I thought they were released by the FOM…

    8. Why is the left front mounted backwards on Hamilton’s car? It took a while to spot it.

    Comments are closed.