Lance Stroll, Aston Martin, Bahrain International Circuit, 2022

“Bad call on cooling” led to Aston Martin’s “critical” engine warnings in Bahrain

2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

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Nico Hulkenberg is confident the serious cooling problems both Aston Martin drivers encountered during the last race won’t resurface this weekend.

He and team mate Lance Stroll were both told repeatedly to reduce their pace during the Bahrain Grand Prix in order to bring the temperature of their cars down.

The situation was described as “critical” for both drivers and at one stage Hulkenberg was told he could not make a pit stop because his car was too hot. Both had to ‘lift and coast’ into corners by backing off early, pull off-line on straights to get fresh air into their radiators and pull away slowly after pit stops to manage the problem.

Hulkenberg, who is substituting for Sebastian Vettel again this weekend, believes the team have a solution in place for this weekend’s race in Jeddah.

“I think we have it under control, we understood what went wrong,” he said in response to a question from RaceFans. “It was just kind of a bad call on the cooling side I think.

“It is manageable. It was quite compromising in the race in Bahrain but nothing that concerns us going forward.”

Selected Lance Stroll radio messages from the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix

2MichellDRS is enabled, Zhou is 1.1 behind.
2MichellZhou 1 behind, 1 behind.
2StrollStop with the gap.
3MichellCan we do a bit of lift-and-coast for tyres and PU. Lift-and-coast.
3MichellLance, we need to focus on the energy, we need to focus on getting the pack up.
3Stroll[Unclear].
3MichellCar behind is Norris on medium. No energy button, no energy button.
4StrollSuffering a lot with rear.
4MichellPlus two on brake balance. Lift-and-coast can help, lift-and-coast can help as well.
4MichellOkay at their peak Lance they’re now so and they’re going to come bit back to of you. Lift-and-coast
4MichellWe need Lift-and-coast turn 11 for PU.
5MichellOkay we need Lance lift-and-coast urgent, for PU, lift-and-coast for PU.
5StrollI am lifting and coasting…
5MichellWe need more…
5StrollWhat do you want me to tell you?
5MichellWe need more, we need more.
5MichellCritical – 1.4 to Norris – critical lift-and-coast. Good job, good job, we need that.
5MichellOkay keep lifting and coasting critical good job for now, good job for doing now, keep it.
6MichellKeep doing what you’re doing, Lance, it’s coming back to us.
6MichellWe need 20 metres more Lance, 20 metres more lift-and-coast everywhere please.
7MichellKeep doing the lift-and-coast, it’s good, it’s getting it under control, Norris has the same issue.
10MichellKeep lifting-and-coasting for PU. Good job, though.
10MichellBoth safety car windows are open, both safety car windows are open.
11MichellStrat six, strat six and keep doing your lift-and-coast.
11MichellPull out to take some air on the straight, pull out to take some air on the straight to cool the PU.
12MichellPull to the right of Albon on start/finish, pull to the right of Albon on start/finish for cooling.
12MichellAnd strat seven as well, strat seven.
12MichellThat was really good Lance, let’s keep doing that, that’s going to give us the engine temp to attack him.
13StrollDo you prefer I use high revs or low revs for engine temperatures?
13MichellLonger gears. What you’re doing is good, what you’re doing is good. Keep pulling out, lift-and-coast and longer gears.
13MichellKeep pulling out on the straight Lance.
13StrollYeah, he’s pitting.
13MichellCopy. Let’s focus on getting the PU down, let’s push on and get the PU temperature down.
13MichellZhou is 6.6 ahead so use this free air to cool the car.
13StrollDo I have to lift-and-coast as much in free air?
13MichellYes for now it’ll get it down quicker.
14MichellCar behind is Alonso, he’s pitted he’s doing 38s, he’s quick. Different strategy, different race, so don’t hold up, don’t lose time with Alonso.
14MichellOkay Alonso 1 behind, different race to focus on the PU.
17MichellOkay Lance use the tyres, keep lift-and-coast, but use the tyres.
18MichellLance boxing we’re this lap, we’re boxing this lap.
18StrollOkay copy.
18MichellLance we’re going to need a into lift 14, lift into 14.
18MichellBig lift into 14, big lift into 14 and there will be no launch, gentle pull-away from the pit stop, gentle pull-away from the pit stop. Box box, box box.

Selected Nico Hulkenberg radio messages from the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix

1HulkenbergA bad de-rate there on the main straight.
1CroninCopy that we see, we’re looking.
3CroninSo Nico for engine and tyre a bit of lift-and-coast into one and four, a little please, bit of lift-and-coast one and four.
4CroninA bit more lift-and-coast if you can, please, a little bit more lift-and-coast for clips.
4CroninSo Nico we do need to cool the engine, we need to cool the engine, so pull to the side a bit and do lift-and-coast.
5CroninSo Nico we need a lot more of that please, a lot more. You have to do a big lift-and-coast. If that costs position, that’s what you’ve got to do. Some big lift-and-coasts now.
5CroninPull to the please, side, pull to the side, cool the engine.
5CroninOkay Nico you have to keep doing it, please, keep pulling to the side.
5CroninOkay Nico so you’ve got to keep doing it, you’ve got to keep cooling the engine, Lance and Norris behind have got the same issue.
6CroninOkay Nico one clock forward on brake balance and keep pulling to the side and keep doing lift-and-coast, you’re doing very good.
6CroninSo Nico you’re doing a good job but I need a bit of lift-and-coast into eight and also 10. As well as 11.
6CroninSchumacher car ahead, and you need ACS off you when can, ACS off.
6CroninSo let’s try and get Schumacher, because that will help the engine. You can use energy, good.
7CroninOkay Nico you’ve got to do a bit more lift-and-coast, please, a bit more lift-and-coast, we’re critical on engine.
8CroninCar behind is now Norris.
8CroninOkay Nico I know this is painful, but you’ve got to keep doing the engine cooling.
9CroninIt’s critical on engine now, Nico, critical.
9CroninOkay Nico so Norris is still 0.7 behind. Keep doing the engine cooling please.
9CroninSo we do need more lift-and-coast, Nico, more lift-and-coast.
10CroninKeep doing the lifting, coasting in free air, please.
11CroninSo Nico we need more, please, more lift-and-coast. I know it’s painful, you’re doing a good job, but we need more.
11CroninSo Nico this next lap I need bigger lift-and-coast, especially into four.
11HulkenbergDo you want eighth gear on the straight or not?
11HulkenbergThe rears are going off now.
11CroninCopy that, Nico, copy.
12CroninSo Nico we’re too hot to be able to pit so we need to do more cooling, even if it costs a position, more cooling.
12CroninSo Nico if you can use higher gears in the corners where you can, use high gears, and later downshifts, that also helps engine temps.
12CroninThat will help a bit, Nico.
13CroninOkay Nico you’re doing a very good job. You can do go torque you nine if want a bit of stability, torque nine and click forward on brake balance.
13CroninSo keep doing the engine cooling, you’re doing a good job. Keep doing the engine cooling.
13HulkenbergThis strange sensation, the car is kind of squaring under braking.
13CroninCopy that. So Alonso is about to pass Norris behind, he’s pit-stopped onto a medium. Alonso is fast behind on failing a medium. It’s a different strategy so don’t lose time with him.
14CroninBecoming a little bit rear-limited now.
14CroninYeah copy that, Nico, copy that.
14CroninSeventh or here? eighth in the straight
14CroninSo there are two cars exiting the pits ahead now.
14CroninSo Nico eighth gear is good, eighth gear is good.

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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...
Claire Cottingham
Claire has worked in motorsport for much of her career, covering a broad mix of championships including Formula One, Formula E, the BTCC, British...

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One comment on ““Bad call on cooling” led to Aston Martin’s “critical” engine warnings in Bahrain”

  1. Just imagine being told to lift-and-coast over 15 times in a race

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