“He’s gone off again”: Hamilton and Verstappen’s US GP battle on the radio

2022 United States GP team radio transcript

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Lewis Hamilton had a rare chance in 2022 to win in Sunday’s United Grand Prix after Max Verstappen’s race was compromised by a slow pit stop.

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The Red Bull driver fought back to win, but there was tension in the final laps as he had strayed beyond track limits three times during the course of the race and was at risk of a five-second penalty which could have cost him his victory. Behind, Hamilton was keeping a close eye on how well Verstappen stayed within the lines, and ensuring his team and race control did not miss any potential infractions.

Transcript: Hamilton vs Verstappen in the United States Grand Prix

Verstappen and Hamilton started second and third. However they were soon in contention for the lead, as pole-winner Carlos Sainz Jnr started slowly and was hit by George Russell.

The pair started on the medium compound tyres and over the opening laps it quickly became clear Hamilton did not have the pace on that rubber to keep up with Verstappen.

Lap: 1/56
Bonnington So Stroll car behind at 0.8. So we had Sainz spin at turn one. Lambiase Car behind, Hamilton. Sainz was tagged at turn one. Mode 10 and gap one second, Max. Straight into this.
Hamilton Gone wide, turn four. Lambiase Gap 1.5.
Bonnington Okay copy.
Lap: 2/56
Bonnington Stroll 1.8 behind, Verstappen 1.3 ahead. Lambiase Gap 1.5. And race update, Max. Sainz has retired from that incident at turn one.
Bonnington So Verstappen 1.7 ahead, Stroll two behind.
Lap: 3/56
Bonnington DRS has been enabled. Lambiase High-speed saving looks similar to Hamilton in the Esses.
Lambiase You can afford to save more in turn 17, 18 Max. Straight-line gains are strong.
Lap: 4/56
Bonnington Tractions metrics only at 3.7. Think about bringing back the entry turn one for a better exit. Lambiase Strat two. The previous lap Hamilton pushing more in sector one. Keep it there for the moment. Turn 17, happier now.
Bonnington So gap to Verstappen at 2.2 and it looks like he’s pushing hard. The gap to the midfield should open up quickly.
Bonnington So Verstappen a 42.6.

Red Bull could see Hamilton is using up his tyres in pursuit of Verstappen and tell their driver he can afford to push harder. Verstappen responds and begins to pull away from Hamilton by three to four tenths of a second each lap.

Lap: 5/56
Hamilton Left is high? Very hard to keep up. Verstappen Wind makes it really tricky, it’s very gusty.
Bonnington Yeah copy. Nothing concerning at the moment. Lambiase Understood. Gap 2.4. Make sure you control the rear axle in the high speed.
Lambiase Engine 13, one-three, position four? So Hamilton pushing in sector one so keep up. We’ve got big gains, easy gains sector two.
Lambiase Display eight when you can.
Lap: 6/56
Bonnington Verstappen a 42.9. George now car behind, 5.2, he does have a five second penalty. Lambiase Display five, position 11. Display five, position one one when you can. Gap 2.7.
Bonnington So George 5.5 behind, Verstappen 2.7 ahead.
Lap: 7/56
Bonnington So Verstappen 42.8. Turn 11 also bring back the entry for better exit. Lambiase Gap at 2.4.
Lap: 8/56
Lambiase You are free to hold sixth to turn three, Max. Free to hold sixth gear to turn three. Gap 2.8.
Lambiase Okay so at the moment main delta to Hamilton, through that first sector he’s carrying more speed turns five, six, seven, eight.
Lap: 9/56
Bonnington Copy that last message. It still looks better than Verstappen. He was 42.8 last lap. Verstappen I’m struggling a lot with the wind out there.
Bonnington And remember to drink. Lambiase Understood gap. 3.2. Can I have a front wing update as well, Max, when you can.
Verstappen I think that’s okay.
Lambiase You are free to use the diff rotary, Max. That will help you in the high-speed as well.
Lambiase Gap 3.5, 3.5.
Lap: 10/56
Bonnington Lewis can you go HP5 position 10, five position 10. Verstappen was a 42.4.

Mercedes spot the lap times are beginning to drop off and, as he is already five seconds behind Verstappen, call Hamilton in for his first pit stop.

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Lap: 11/56
Bonnington So Verstappen 42.5. We’re over the peak of the tyre. So stops in the midfield starting to happen. Lambiase Gap 3.7. Tyre temperatures have peaked.
Hamilton Tyres feel okay just [unclear].
Lap: 12/56
Bonnington So Verstappen 42.6 434. Lambiase Max just mind that single bump on the run down to turn 12, try to stay right. Gap 4.3.
Hamilton How’s my pace otherwise? Lambiase Lewis was just told to push.
Bonnington Lewis it’s Hammertime
Bonnington Box. Box. Box. Box. Box.
Lap: 13/56
Bonnington We go strat mode four, start four. So you’re all clear on exit, four behind to Bottas. Lambiase Okay. So Hamilton is in, Max.
Bonnington So this is out-lap critical. Verstappen What do you want me to do?
Bonnington So Verstappen in. Lambiase Free to push.
Bonnington So clean stop for Verstappen. Lambiase Box and pit confirm, Max. Box, pit confirm.
Lambiase Strat 12 in pit lane.
Lap: 14/56
Hamilton Tyres don’t feel great. Lambiase Torque nine, strat eight. Torque nine, strat eight. Could be close to racing Stroll and Leclerc, racing Stroll, Leclerc. Stroll alongside now.
Bonnington Okay, copy. Lambiase Okay Hamilton is still behind Vettel, Leclerc and Stroll so bring these tyres in nice and easily Max.
Verstappen How many laps was that?
Lambiase 13 laps.

Verstappen takes half a second less than Hamilton to complete his first pit stop, adding to his lead as he returns to the track.

Lap: 15/56
Bonnington So Perez has pitted, he’s now the car behind, the gap to him is about nine seconds. Lambiase So just reminder about what I said about your dash in the high-speed, Max, at the start of this stint. Hamilton still behind Vettel.
Lap: 16/56
Bonnington So Verstappen 42.2. Lambiase Gap to Hamilton 6.1. He just passed Vettel.
Bonnington So Leclerc yet to stop on medium tyres, 15-lap-old, last lap a 42.7.

Verstappen is now back in the lead but has collected his first warning for exceeding track limits. Four warnings typically leads to a five-second time penalty.

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Lap: 17/56
Bonnington We’ve had one lap deleted for track limits turn 19. Lambiase Engine 13 position ten, engine one-three position 10 when you can, Max. Gap behind Leclerc, 2.8. So Hamilton 6.3, his pace 42.0. What are your thoughts on this compound?
Bonnington So Verstappen a 41.9, Leclerc a 42.6. Verstappen So far [unclear] I mean [unclear] doesn’t feel amazing the grip level.
Lambiase Understood.
Verstappen Give me a little bit less front wing [unclear].
Lambiase Roger.

A gust of wind catches Valtteri Bottas out at turn 19 and he spins into a gravel trap, triggering a Safety Car period.

Mercedes changed parts of Hamilton’s front-left brake on the grid because he noticed a difference in their stopping power during his pre-race reconnaissance laps. A similar problem resurfaces during the Safety Car period.

Lap: 18/56
Bonnington So we have a yellow, yellow down at turn 19 exit, Valtteri off in the gravel. Lambiase Strat two when you can.
Bonnington Safety Car, Safety Car, keep the delta positive. We are staying out. So if you go strat mode one. Do what you can do on car cooling. Verstappen Yeah seems like they might be a little bit better for overtaking but definitely less movement in low speed.
Hamilton How was pace looking? Lambiase Understood Max.
Bonnington So just keep that delta tight. Just keep on that delta. Lewis can we have HPP5, position 13. Should be just picking up Safety Car now. Okay so Lewis pace on hard tyre not too bad at all. At worst, well, at best we were just a tenth and a half off Verstappen. Lambiase Safety Car deployed Max, Safety Car deployed. Dash positive. Dash positive. So this is for Bottas in the gravel exit turn 19. So stay out, Max, staying out.

In the previous race at Suzuka several drivers complained that a recovery vehicle appeared on the circuit. As one of several changes in response to that incident, race control now advise teams when a recovery vehicle has been sent out, and those messages are relayed to drivers.

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Lap: 19/56
Hamilton Okay, keep me updated on where I am losing that, mate. Lambiase Okay Max so initially same pace as Hamilton middle set. same trend as the first stint, Hamilton pushing a lot more in sector one – three, four, five, six, seven, eight. You managed your tyres very well in the first stint, I’m happy with your wear. Okay so Leclerc’s pitted onto the hard tyre at the moment he’s fallen just behind Checo, so that’s P4 for him. Behind you Hamilton, one lap older hard tyres. Behind Hamilton, Checo and then Leclerc.
Bonnington Yeah turn 11 is the biggest culprit. It’s that entry, pushing it a little bit too much. Lambiase Okay Max, information, there is a recovery vehicle on track at turn 19.
Hamilton Every time I bring it back, I still don’t get the exit.
Bonnington Okay, copy, we’ll have a look through it. Just keep an eye on those front brakes.
Hamilton Are they okay?
Bonnington Yeah, it’s just that they’re starting to split so just make sure not to trail on the brake pedal too much. We’ve got a recovery vehicle on track turn 19. So we’re going to have Perez behind, two lap newer hard tyres. Leclerc has just stopped, he’s behind Perez, also fitted the hard.
Lap: 20/56
Hamilton These brakes are something else, mate. Lambiase When we eventually get going, Max, repeat of the first stint please, mate. Looks after the tyres in the high-speed. You’ve got your gains you know where. Those behind you have to use up their tyres in the high-speed.
Bonnington So on the previous set Lewis, rears still plenty of rubber remaining. Just inside shoulder front-left, looks like it’s the under-rotations. Whilst it’s quiet, do you want to give us a balance check, just let us know how it’s going.
Hamilton Yeah balance doesn’t feel too bad. Straight onto this tyre generally it feels a little bit more oversteer and also a little less front grip.
Bonnington Okay. Lewis go HPP3 position two, three position two.
Bonnington So I think this is probably going to go next lap, Lewis. So, yeah, Safety Car will be in this lap.
At the first restart, Verstappen went off at turn 19

The race restarts. Verstappen, controlling the pack, immediately runs wide again at turn 19, which Hamilton notes.

The race doesn’t remain green for long, however. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll collide, putting the Aston Martin out and scattering debris across the back straight.

Lap: 21/56
Hamilton So remind me again, turn one and turn 11 pull back the entry still? Into 11? Lambiase Okay Max so mode three, Safety Car is in this lap.
Hamilton Yeah, copy, to Verstappen that’s all we can see. Lambiase Okay so just be mindful of your front tyres at the restart. Set your bias offset to suit.
Bonnington Strat mode five, strat mode five. Safety Car at turn 15. Verstappen Let me know where the Safety Car is.
Bonnington Now Safety Car turn 17. Turn 19. Lambiase Currently at turn 18.
Lambiase Turn 19.0. And it’s in pit lane.
Lap: 22/56
Hamilton [Unclear] at turn 19. Lambiase Mode 10 and bias offset, Max. Okay that was first strike at turn 19.
Bonnington Copy. [Unclear]. Perez behind at 0.8. Lambiase Safety Car deployed, Max. Safety Car deployed. Dash positive. A fairly large accident between turn 11 and turn 12. Quite a bit of debris on track.
Bonnington Safety Car, Safety Car, delta positive. [Unclear] And if you can try to cool the car as best you can. So just reminder you’re staying out. Safety Car is at the top of turn one.

The race engineers can see little of the crash scene and can give their drivers little advice on how to avoid the debris on the straight.

Hamilton’s attention briefly moves from the Red Bull ahead of him to the one behind, as Sergio Perez is threatening.

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Lap: 23/56
Bonnington Yes a lot of debris along that back straight. Both sides. So on the back straight we’ve got Stroll stopped, debris across the whole track, try and pick your way… Lambiase Okay so Safety Car ahead of you at turn one.
Hamilton How’s my pace doing compared to Sergio? Lambiase It’s a little bit unclear what the best line through the debris is at this stage, Max, but potentially staying right all the way along the straight. Yeah confirmed that from race control as well. Right-hand side. Stay right. Just pick your way through the debris. Don’t worry about the car lengths to the Safety Car, make sure you can see the debris on-track.
Bonnington You can use your 10 car lengths just to make sure you don’t pick up the debris. Lambiase Strat three, Max. Okay Max just to give you an idea at the restart your sector one was two tenths quicker than Hamilton, sector two four tenths quicker.
Hamilton Is he okay?
Bonnington Copy, yep, he’s out of the car. How much debris do you see down there? TV pictures not showing a lot.
Hamilton No, not too much. Just it’s off-line.
Bonnington Okay copy. In terms of pace to Perez, little bit difficult to pick it out, he was in traffic most of the first stint.
Hamilton Marcus just have a look into turn 11 onto that start lap. Perez went really deep into 11 and still managed to be close.
Bonnington Okay we’ll have a look.
Lap: 24/56
Bonnington On that Perez question, looks like he’s pushing less in eight for a better nine and then he’s just pushing the entry into 11 a bit more. And another recovery vehicle on track. Lambiase Okay Max there is a recovery vehicle on track between turns 11 and 12.

The race restarts once more. Verstappen is asked to change a setting on his engine and is unhappy with the effect it has on power delivery.

Lap: 25/56
Bonnington So Safety Car’s going to be in this lap. So with all this time under Safety Car the tyres should be in a good window. It’s for us to push, so don’t think it’s much management, see if we can stick with Verstappen best we can. Strat mode five, strat mode five. So Safety Car lights are out. Lambiase Okay Safety Car is in this lap, Max, Safety Car in this lap. Fronts are maybe four degrees cooler than the previous restart. Mode three. Just reminder, you just have one track limits strike. For the moment, Max, obviously you know the best line between turns 11 and 12 at this stage alone would be on the right-hand side, so stay off the left-hand side.
Bonnington Safety Car turn 17. Safety Car turn 19. Verstappen Where’s the Safety Car?
Lambiase Turn 19.
Lambiase And in pit lane.
Lap: 26/56
Hamilton [Unclear] Lambiase So just watch your slip while the tyres are cold. Currently bias offset minus two. Mode 10.
Hamilton Wide at turn 20. Lambiase Gap…
Bonnington Copy. Verstappen What happened to my drive-ability? It’s dog shit.
Lambiase Strat two. Keep me posted in that strat position. If not, we can make another change. Gap 1.1.
Lap: 27/56
Bonnington Verstappen 1.2 ahead, Perez 1.2 behind. Lambiase And Max just make sure you’re sensible at turn 19 as well. Don’t want to use up another strike.
Lap: 28/56
Bonnington DRS has been enabled. Verstappen at 1.5, Perez 1.2 behind. Lambiase Gap 1.5, Hamilton almost at full load through turn 17 so having to push to try to keep Checo at bay. Just keep doing what you’re doing.
Lambiase Half a second quicker in sector two.

As in the earlier laps, Verstappen is only losing time to Hamilton at the points on the track where the Red Bull driver is saving his tyres more.

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Lap: 30/56
Bonnington So Perez battling with Leclerc, that gap now 2.6. So we’ll try to introduce maybe a little more management turn six. Lambiase Losses to Hamilton are all in areas of management, Max. High-speed sector one, turn 17.
Lap: 31/56
Bonnington So Leclerc through, now car behind at 3.5 seconds, Verstappen 1.9 ahead. Lambiase Gap 1.8. P3 is now Leclerc. His last lap was a 41.5.
Bonnington So Leclerc at 3.8 behind. Lambiase Thoughts on compounds, Max?
Verstappen [Unclear] it’s low grip.

Charles Leclerc, who has climbed through the field from 12th, made his pit stop under the Safety Car and Red Bull briefly entertain the possibility he may try to reach the end of the race without pitting again.

Lap: 32/56
Lambiase Gap two seconds. Leclerc last lap 42.0. Could be managing to the end at this stage. Gap to him six seconds.
Lap: 33/56
Hamilton Leave me to it, mate. Lambiase Okay Max gap 1.8, happy to reduce the level of management.
Bonnington Verstappen a 41.3. Verstappen Tyres super-unpredictable in the wind.
Lambiase Start four. Copy, strat four.

Mercedes waste no time in bringing Hamilton in for his second pit stop. This time the gamble pays off – a slow front-left tyre change costs Verstappen over eight seconds.

Hamilton is now the effective leader of the race. Mercedes update him on the situation behind.

Lap: 34/56
Bonnington Verstappen at 41. Verstappen I feel like it’s hurting my drive-ability, these strat changes.
Bonnington Box opposite Verstappen. Box opposite Verstappen. Lambiase Undertood, Max.
Lambiase Strat two.
Lap: 35/56
Bonnington Go strat mode four. Out-lap critical. You’ll be clear on exit. Lambiase Hamilton is in pit lane, Max, you are free to push.
Lambiase Box and pit confirm, Max. Box, pit confirm. Strat 12 in pit lane.
Lap: 36/56
Bonnington So slow stop for Verstappen. So got Leclerc and Verstappen just exiting pit lane now. Leclerc ahead of Verstappen, six seconds behind. Lambiase Focus on your marks.
Bonnington So both Leclerc and Verstappen on the medium tyre. We have 20 laps when we cross the line. Verstappen Beautiful, fucking beautiful.
Hamilton How big’s the gap? Lambiase Strat eight, start eight. Long way to go.
Bonnington Currently 6.6 seconds, 6.6, GPS jumping around bit. Verstappen Yeah, you don’t need to tell me that.
Hamilton Is the medium faster? Lambiase Max we’re in this together, mate. Head down, come on.

However Hamilton is concerned that while he’s on hard tyres, Verstappen has taken a set of mediums, which will be faster.

Lap: 37/56
Bonnington I’ll get back to you on that tyre question, Lewis. Gap to Leclerc at 5.8. Lambiase Mode nine. Strat two when you can.
Bonnington So the hard tyre looks pretty robust, Lewis.
Fight with Leclerc cost Verstappen little time

Verstappen catches Leclerc but despite them fighting for position Hamilton can’t pull away from them. The Ferrari driver is only able to hold Verstappen back for a single lap anyway before he passes in a DRS zone.

Lambiase tells his driver not to push his tyres too hard as he begins his pursuit of Hamilton, needing to keep some life in them for later.

Lap: 38/56
Bonnington So Leclerc and Verstappen pushing hard on the mediums, current gap at 4.8.
Hamilton What time’s he doing?
Bonnington Leclerc, Verstappen in the high 39s. Leclerc was [unclear].
Lap: 39/56
Bonnington Gap at 4.7. Leclerc and Verstappen now battling hard. Lambiase Well done, Max.
Hamilton How’s this pace? Don’t really think I’m that fast.
Bonnington Whilst those guys are battling they’re 40.2. So Verstappen now through, 4.7 seconds behind.
Lap: 40/56
Hamilton Blue flags. Lambiase Mode seven, Max, mode seven. Gap to Hamilton, 4.5. That’s 17 laps remaining, still 17 laps.
Bonnington He is yet to stop. Lambiase Hamilton is on the hard tyre, Max.
Verstappen What’s the gap? Behind?
Lambiase One second. Just a reminder, you’ve had about a three-tenth advantage all race. Let this come in naturally with tyre saving, see where we’re at at the end.
Lap: 41/56
Bonnington So Verstappen 40.1 last lap. Verstappen Gap behind?
Lambiase 0.7.
Lambiase Gap ahead 3.5.
Lambiase Gap behind 0.8, it’s the same as the last lap. He has DRS, the same gap as the last lap. So ahead of you Vettel, you are racing Vettel. He’s on 23-lap-old, medium tyres. The last lap but one was actually green for Seb, so going strong on that tyre.
Lap: 42/56
Lambiase Okay Hamilton last lap a 40.2. Gap 2.8. 3.3. They’re a tenth quicker in sector one.
Verstappen Gap behind as well.
Lambiase 0.9. He has DRS. 0.9.

Mercedes keep Hamilton abreast of Verstappen’s progress as the Red Bull driver steadily closes.

Lap: 43/56
Bonnington So got 14 laps remaining. Verstappen a 40.0. Lambiase That’s 0.8 behind. Gap ahead 3.3 Poor middle sector I think that lap.
Bonnington And Lewis if you can have a think about third gear, turn 13, turn 15 that’ll just help with ERS temps. Lambiase Gap one.
Lambiase 0.9 behind.
Lap: 44/56
Bonnington We had a lap deleted, turn nine. Lambiase Gap ahead 2.7. Hamilton last lap was a 40.3.
Hamilton Gap? Lambiase Okay Leclerc does not have DRS this lap. Two tenths quicker in sector one to Hamilton this lap.
Bonnington So currently 2.6 to Verstappen, last lap 39.8. Lambiase Gap 1.2 behind.
Lap: 45/56
Bonnington Gap at 2.4. And last lap, 40.4. Lambiase Hamilton last lap was 40.8, gap 2.3, behind 1.3.
Bonnington Lewis if you update your tyre switch for Safety Car. Lambiase Mode 10 Max. Okay wind is picking up at this stage.
Lambiase Gap behind now two seconds, ahead same pace.
Lap: 46/56
Bonnington Gap at 2.5. Verstappen 40.0. Lambiase Gap 2.5, last lap Hamilton a 39.8.
Lambiase Hamilton less saving turns six, seven. He is also full load turn 17.
Lambiase Four-tenths quicker in sector two this lap.
Lap: 47/56
Bonnington Gap at 2.2. Lambiase Okay that’s 10 laps remaining. Ten laps, 2 seconds ahead, Max. Behind is now 3.7.
Lap: 48/56
Bonnington Lewis think about third gear for turn 11, turn 12, for ERS temps. Lambiase Last lap for Hamilton 40.6.
Verstappen easily passed Hamilton for the lead

Although Verstappen only catches Hamilton gradually, once he gets with DRS range he’s through immediately. However he briefly loses power from his battery.

He is also increasingly at risk over track limits. He collects his third warning, leaving him one away from a penalty, and Hamilton behind him repeatedly calls attention to more possible infringements.

Lap: 49/56
Bonnington Gap to Verstappen at 1.1.
Lap: 50/56
Lambiase Okay mode nine Max, mode nine. Still seven laps remaining. Okay that gap is 0.9, you have…
Verstappen Yeah mate I’m clipping into turn 11, what the fuck, why?
Lambiase Okay looked like a bit moving under braking but nice job.
Lap: 51/56
Hamilton They’re so fast in the straight, man. Lambiase The overtake is available. If you want to cancel the clip, back to mode 10.
Bonnington Copy, Lewis. Try and hang with him. Verstappen Yeah, yeah.
Hamilton He’s gone off again. Lambiase Okay do it yourself, Max.
Bonnington Copy. Can we have HPP default 17. HPP default one seven. Verstappen Gap?
Lambiase 0.8.
Lambiase You need to make sure you’re safe on track limits now, please, Max. Gap was 0.9.
Lap: 52/56
Bonnington If we can take that HPP default one seven. HPP default 17. Lambiase You’ve used up all your strikes now Max so you need to be safe on track limits. Gap 0.7, same as the last lap. That’s turn nine and 19 for track limits.
Bonnington So, Max now at three strikes.
Lap: 53/56
Hamilton He went off at turn 20. Lambiase Gap 0.9. Just watch that balance through 17.
Bonnington Copy. Lambiase Gap 0.7, same as last lap.
Hamilton [Unclear] at turn nine.
Bonnington Copy.

However Hamilton also reaches his third track limits warning. With Leclerc less than five seconds behind, he also has to take care.

Verstappen pulls away to win by 5.023 seconds – enough that he is guaranteed the win even if he is penalised.

Lap: 54/56
Bonnington We’ve had our third strike. So black-and-white flag. Lambiase Gap 1.1, does not have DRS. Hamilton now also three strikes on track limits so just keep it safe from here, Max. That’s three laps remaining, three laps remaining.
Lambiase Gap still 1.1, does not has DRS.
Lap: 55/56
Hamilton Tyres [unclear]. Lambiase Gap behind 2.2, his last lap was a 41.2, 2.2 behind.
Bonnington Okay copy. Two laps remaining, Leclerc four seconds behind. So two laps remaining. Lambiase Gap still 2.2.
Bonnington Leclerc still 3.9 behind so let’s just keep well within track limits. Lambiase Three seconds.

While Mercedes commiserate with Hamilton, Verstappen congratulates Red Bull on clinching the constructors championship, a fitting tribute to late team founder Dietrich Mateschitz whose death was announced the previous day.

Lap: 56/56
Bonnington So final lap. Lambiase Okay you’re starting your final lap. The gap is 3.5. Cruise home.
Bonnington Nice work, Lewis. That was a great drive. Mate. Absolutely splendid day that one. Really great pace. So close mate but we’ll get them next time. If you could have HP1 position 14 please, one position 14. Lewis just cool the car. Horner Max Verstappen you are world champion, we are world champions, thank you so much. And thank you, Dietrich Mateschitz, for everything that you have done for us, for this team and these championships are for you. Thank you.
Hamilton I gave it everything guys, gave it everything. Great work with the pit stop, that strategy. So close but so far. Let’s keep pushing and thanks to all the supporters out there. Verstappen Definitely was for Dietrich. I gave it everything out there, even though, of course, we had that stop. I was a bit upset with that but, you know, I just keep pushing. And congrats guys, what an amazing season to win also the constructors. You guys really deserve it.
Bonnington Well done mate, I wouldn’t expect any less of you. Lambiase Yeah fantastic result, Max and another milestone that’s your 13th win as well, fantastic result.
Verstappen Three more chances to add on that, mate.
Lambiase Three more chances. You did that in style, well done.
Verstappen It was a bit hectic but good job.
Lambiase Fail 84 please Max if you’ve not done that already. Fail eight four.
Lambiase Okay Max you are coming back into the pit lane, into the pit lane.
Lambiase So P1 and then P0.

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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...

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37 comments on ““He’s gone off again”: Hamilton and Verstappen’s US GP battle on the radio”

  1. Ankita
    26th October 2022, 14:17

    What a great story and the transcripts are amazing.

    1. JustSomeone
      26th October 2022, 19:07

      While technologically amazing… It’s why F1 is now at the bottom of the pile of racing I follow:

      Strat two. Keep me posted in that strat position. If not, we can make another change.
      Okay mode nine Max, mode nine.
      Can we have HPP default 17. HPP default one seven.
      Strat three, Max

      How cool would it be if the drivers had to figure this out, or even better NO way to figure this out? And no excuses about the “power unit being to complicated”, that is a design choice made by manufacturers who do not trust the drivers or their engineers to do a proper job!

      1. S
        27th October 2022, 2:54

        +1
        Drivers must drive alone and unaided at all times, eh….

        1. Profile Photo

          NS Biker (@rekibsn)
          27th October 2022, 3:44

          Clearly, that would be an interesting change.
          They should try it sometime.

      2. Profile Photo

        MacLeod (@macleod)
        27th October 2022, 8:14

        The drivers could do that but they will need a extra display with the engine info. Or just install a computer to do that all that work…

      3. Mayrton
        27th October 2022, 11:55

        Fully agree. Once it is out of the pits they should be on their own.

  2. Profile Photo

    Proesterchen (@proesterchen)
    26th October 2022, 14:34

    Verstappen Fail 84 please Max if you’ve not done that already. Fail eight four.

    Probably not a Max quote.

  3. Profile Photo

    Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
    26th October 2022, 14:44

    Hamilton is so likeable. It made me wish these never get to race for wins. Annoying and embarassing.

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      bosyber (@bosyber)
      26th October 2022, 15:01

      Given Hamilton barely says anything but factual information, or a question about the gap, it would seem you brought that annoyance with you to the page @peartree

      I for one agree with Ankita that it’s nice to see the two driver (engineers) talk side by side to compare what they are dealing with.

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        Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
        27th October 2022, 1:03

        @bosyber like “tyres are great”…
        Bosyber this is not instagram or twitter so I did not expect to see this article full of warriors. I couldn’t care less. Save your efforts for the Dutch.

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          bosyber (@bosyber)
          27th October 2022, 13:46

          Please stop arguing ad hominem’s @peartree, both about drivers and with commenters here. You sometimes have solid posts, would be great if those were the ones we got more often.

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            Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
            27th October 2022, 20:12

            @bosyber my posts are more solid than Hamilton’s front wings. Please don’t forget to smash that like buttton, rate and subscribe.

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      sethje (@seth-space)
      26th October 2022, 15:23

      Agreed, fight on track and not trying to screw the opponent with a penalty. Embarrassing.

      1. Ajaxn
        26th October 2022, 16:00

        Do you mean like Haas and Alonso?

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        BrunoC64 (@brunoc64)
        26th October 2022, 20:29

        Trying to get the opponent a penalty is done much more than you can imagine.
        But trying to get the other driver penalised for something you are doing yourself? Sorry, this was (either if it’s LH or another driver) so hilarious.

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          mystic one (@mysticus)
          28th October 2022, 3:05

          You mean horner does all these things to make max look the good guy makes it any better?

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    Scary Terry (@hatebreeder)
    26th October 2022, 15:16

    Why arent there sensors on the car that highlight that the driver has gone off track?

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      NS Biker (@rekibsn)
      27th October 2022, 3:47

      There are sensors, two of them just underneath the drivers eyebrows.
      Problem is they can see the other guys position better than their own.

  5. Lee1
    26th October 2022, 15:16

    To be fair, Verstappen is normally the master of this radio talk… Also Max repeatedly went off the track while catching Hamilton and was not called up on it. He even went off during Q1 and somehow was not eliminated…

    1. Ajaxn
      26th October 2022, 16:02

      The stewards apparently need help to see when Verstappen flaunts the rules.

    2. George.be
      26th October 2022, 17:07

      Not all corners lead to gains, and only those that lead to a gain are GPS monitored. The GPS accuracy is about 2cm, so I’m fairly sure the stewards get a warning each time the driver exceeds the limits where he gains. There are 20 cars on track, so they need to be reasonable with their resources and warnings. If the infringement is minor and only once, they seem to forget about it, but consistent abuse, lap after lap gets a warning.
      Looking at Hamiltons onboards, I had the feeling that Lewis was tattle tailing on Verstappen in the corners where he also was exceeding the limits, so this isn’t doing Lewis any favours in the like-ability department.

    3. Mayrton
      27th October 2022, 11:58

      Moreover Max was wearing a strange shirt. Wasnt addressed at all.

  6. Ruben
    26th October 2022, 15:44

    Verstappen is now back in the lead but has collected his first warning for exceeding track limits. Four warnings typically leads to a five-second time penalty.

    Under this sentence the table has Bonno saying to Hamilton: “We’ve had one lap deleted for track limits turn 19.” – is that an error in the article, did Hamilton also collect his first strike then and/or was Max never updated on his first strike?

    All in all it seems to me that both were pretty equal when it came to track limits..? For the outside world it might have looked as if Max was the naughty one because Lewis kept bringing it up (in a desperate attempt to win I suppose) and that was what was broadcast on the live feed.

    Also: Lambiase:Yeah fantastic result, Max and another milestone that’s your 13th win as well, fantastic result. – that should be 33rd, but I’m not sure if that’s on Gianpiero or on @keithcollantine :)

    1. Ruben
      26th October 2022, 15:45

      Oh wait, 13th of the season of course. Never mind.

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      Red Andy (@red-andy)
      26th October 2022, 18:11

      For the outside world it might have looked as if Max was the naughty one because Lewis kept bringing it up (in a desperate attempt to win I suppose) and that was what was broadcast on the live feed.

      Given that this was the case you would have thought Hamilton would have made more of an effort to stay within 5 seconds of Verstappen once he was past, but he let Max pull far enough clear that a penalty wouldn’t have mattered even if he’d got one.

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      RicoD (@ricod)
      26th October 2022, 18:13

      Lap deleted in case a driver would have set fastest lap

      1. AlanD
        26th October 2022, 18:39

        Thank you Rico, I hadn’t thought of that

  7. M
    26th October 2022, 22:13

    Max definitely drove off the track, cutting the corner at turn 1, and gained a lasting advantage in Singapore. No penalty.

    Race management in F1 remains poor and inconsistent.

    1. Mayrton
      27th October 2022, 12:01

      And what about the color of his socks?! Unbelievable that nothing is done to stop this

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        Todfod (@todfod)
        27th October 2022, 12:28

        His socks are fine.. unless he’s got jewellery on them. Because there’s nothing more important to the safety and quality of F1 than keeping drivers jewellery free.

        1. Mayrton
          27th October 2022, 23:38

          That too ;-)

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    iCarbs (@icarby)
    26th October 2022, 22:52

    Interesting, need these two in comparable machinery next year.

    1. Mayrton
      27th October 2022, 23:38

      That would be something. Would love to see that. I think no team boss would like to see that however.

    2. Mayrton
      27th October 2022, 23:39

      Sorry, meant the exact same machinery

  9. Wayne
    27th October 2022, 12:18

    Max went off the circuit in exactly the same place as 1 of the alpha romeos or haas i cant recall which during q1 yet the romeo or hass was penalized and verstappen wasnt.once again FIA favoring max. Lewis is not only highlighting to the stewards but to the world how lenient FIA are towards max.

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    Maciek (@maciek)
    27th October 2022, 14:22

    I just hope we get to see these two in near-equal machinery again for at least one more season. The intensity of their personal rivalry is great.

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    Mikulitsi (@mikulitsi)
    27th October 2022, 23:10

    I really like these posts

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