“The deployment is stupid”: Brazilian GP practice team radio highlights

There were more power unit frustrations for Fernando Alonso during practice in Brazil.

Here’s the highlights of what he and the others had to say on the radio.

First practice

Daniel Ricciardo was sat at the pit lane exit for three minutes before practice began and kept his team entertained.

Ricciardo: “Does that give you all the pit lane radio checks you need?”
“You could always give us ‘knock, knock, knocking on Renault’s door’.”

Both Toro Rossos hit trouble early on.

“Box Brendon. Scenario nine. Easy in”
Hartley: “Copy. I have big smoke.”
“OK stop in a safe place. Stop the car now. P1 and roll into the pit entry.”
Hartley: “I stopped.”
“OK. Sorry about that Brendon.”

Newcomer Geroge Russell had his first run for Force India.

Russell: “Just got a bit of traffic ahead. Trying to get a bit of space.”
“Behind Alonso track is clear.”

“Is the car OK?”
Vettel: “Yeah all OK. I think I just pushed too hard in eight and lost the rear in nine.”

Massa: “Had front locking in corner one so I’ll try next lap.”

“Magnussen: “The rear’s not very good.”

Ricciardo: “Had a bit of a knock out of turn ten.”
“Understood, we’ll look into it.”

To Alonso: “Fernando we’d like to try the toy test.”

To Hamilton: “Places to improve: Turn eight and nine. You were too deep into eight.”

“OK so we are expecting a clip now.”
Ricciardo: “So I go reverse early then?”
“Yeah reverse on.”

Nico Hulkenberg overtook Hamilton at Juncao and forced the Mercedes wide at the exit.

Hamilton: “That was very dangerous of Hulkenberg.”
“OK, copy.”

Vettel: “Locked up in turn one.”
“Copy.”

To Hamilton: “Doesn’t look like many people are improving on this tyre.”

Russell: “What lap time should I be aiming for?”
“Pace is good at the moment. Esteban 1’10.7, you 1’11.3.”

Grosjean: “OK got blocked. What do we do?”
“Yeah you need to cool off before we go again, I guess.”
Grosjean: “I don’t know.”
“OK.”

Vandoorne: “Why is drive-ability so bad?”
“Was it the whole lap? Anywhere specific Honda should use?”
Vandoorne: “Whole lap. Turn one is a good example.”

“Russell: “I feel like my brake balance keeps moving without me touching it.”

“How are the tyres, Max?”
Verstappen: “[Censored by FOM].”
“Copy.”
Verstappen: “Yeah I don’t know, I just have no grip.”
“OK, Similar pace to Daniel at this stage.”

“Keep pushing.”
Leclerc: “I couldn’t keep pushing, Ocon is on a race sim in front of me and there was no pace.”

Second practice

Raikkonen reported a problem on his car at the beginning of the second session.

Raikkonen: “OK I’ve got a lot of vibration at the front.”
“OK Kimi, understood.”

Grosjean: “I don’t think we’ve adjusted enough for the track temp. Super oversteer.”

Raikkonen: “Again I have the vibration on the front brakes, it’s a lot of vibration.”

Grosjean: “OK that’s interesting I picked up a lot of front locking on that lap for some reason.”
“Wehrlein coming.”

Stroll was clearly dissatisfied with his session.

Stroll: “Ah I got traffic at the same point. I have a flat-spot now.”

“You’re gaining turn eight but losing the time at turn nine. There may be a better compromise there.”
Hamilton: “Yeah the last time I just went a bit deep.”

Stroll: “I have no rear stability and I have a Ferrari in front of me. Alright I’m going again, screw this, I don’t want to waste my time behind the Ferrari.”
“Lance try to increase the lift-and-coast and I think as well…”
Stroll: “It’s not the solution. I will but you’ll see it’s not the solution.”

To Vandoorne: “Stoffel a few drops of rain reported on the pit wall.”

“Verstappen now on old softs 13.8.”
Ricciardo: “Did he start on those?”
“Yes. He’s done 11 laps on his soft tyres ahead.”

To Ricciardo: “OK Daniel new lap we’ll got mode seven. This is a more aggressive mode seven setting than you’ve raced before. Mode seven. It’s quite aggressive.”

Grosjean: “What is Stroll doing?”
“I don’t know.”

“GP2. Apologies, Max.”
Verstappen: “GP2, GP2! Do we have two GPs?”
“Go away.”

Alonso: “The deployment is stupid. We have the same problem, maybe.”
“Understood, Fernando, we’ll just keep this for now, it’s a good test.”

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