Radio transcript: Who won and who lost from a “super-weird” Q3 in Brazil

For the second year in a row at Interlagos, a drastic change in weather conditions at the beginning of Q3 presented F1 teams with a challenge – and an opportunity.

Unlike last year, Haas weren’t around to take advantage, both their drivers having been eliminated earlier. Instead Aston Martin took the greatest benefit from the sudden shift in the weather, reaping the reward of being the first on track before conditions took a turn for the worse.

As Q3 approached, teams could see from their weather radars that a major storm was heading to the area. While many were braced for the rain it brought, little of it fell during the decisive opening minutes of Q3. But plunging air temperatures and shifting, gusting winds left several drivers convinced their laps were so poor they weren’t worth completing. Their race engineers, watching the coming downpour on their monitors, knew otherwise, and urged them to take the chequered flag.

As they did, several discovered they had missed out by failing to get onto the track as early as they could, while others made the best they could of their starting positions.

Fernando Alonso

Position in queue: 1st
Qualified: 4th, 1’11.387

Aston Martin were fully alert to the threat posed by the change in the weather and ensured bot drivers set lap times right away.

But Alonso would be justified in feeling disappointed in only taking fourth on the grid despite enjoying the best of the conditions. He lost a significant amount of time by running wide at Laranjinha.

Cronin	He queues at the pit exit Just 2 minutes 30 minutes.
Alonso	I switch off?
Cronin	Stand by.
Cronin	Yeah, we’re fine on engine temps Fernando, we’re fine.
Alonso	Rain update.
Cronin	We’ve had possible spits in turn 12 area. Radar is not very clear at the moment.
Cronin	It says 90 seconds until the start of the session.
Alonso	I don’t know why we kept the engine but okay.
Cronin	We’re all okay Fernando, we’re all okay. So there was some people overtaking in the pit exit but I’ll keep you updated as normal.
Cronin	30 seconds, 30 seconds.
Cronin	10 seconds, 10 seconds.
Cronin	Three, two, one. Okay.
Cronin	He leaves the pits Okay so Lance is behind possibly a little bit of rain ub turn 12. You’re all clear behind. Have some good braking. That’ll help build up the fronts.
Cronin	So front-right you can lean on a bit. And then lean on the tyres in turn six, seven.
Cronin	Okay so you’re all good. Have one more good brake. Front-right slightly on the cool side but the rest okay. Have a good brake and go one.
Cronin	And white button turn one, white button.
Cronin	He completes his lap Okay, So first pushing car Perez, turn seven.
Alonso	[Unclear]
Cronin	Copy, Fernando, copy. Perez is pushing five and a half behind. It’s just Perez who’s going to come through, he’s four behind. Have a fast in-lap. Perez still 3.5 seconds. You’re currently faster than Hamilton. Perez fast, one and a half behind.
Cronin	All clear behind, all clear.
Cronin	There’s a yellow flag exit of 12, Piastri’s off. Piastri’s moving now, it’s still single yellows.
Cronin	And box box. Keep an eye out for the weigh bridge. You’re currently P4.
Alonso	It’s so dark.
Cronin	Get ready for another set, but it is looking like it’s too wet. So just stop in front of the garage and push you in.
Alonso	It’s night.
Cronin	Yeah, agreed.
Alonso	Sorry mate. Shit, it was unbelievable

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Lance Stroll

Position in queue: 2nd
Qualified: 3rd, 1’11.344

Lance Stroll took advantage of his team mate’s error to out-qualify him for only the third time in a grand prix this year.

Michell	Okay. Lance there’s other calls coming out, 2 minutes 25, we might need to turn the PU off so stand by. So, Lance, Fernando’s obviously first, you’re P2 in the queue. We must maintain these positions if the rain comes.
Michell	So engine off, Lance. Back to P2.
Stroll	Okay.
Michell	Okay so Lance we’ll be okay to fire up 40 seconds before the start, so we’ll give you that signal. So it’s critical we maintain this position on track so do your best in the pit exit. Don’t hold anybody up but don’t let them past you. And then we obviously need good braking into turn four, energy out of four, good work on the front tyres. 55 seconds.
Michell	I’m happy for you to fire the car up, fire up the car now.
Michell	It’s getting greyer, Lance, so this might be it. 25 seconds to go.
Michell	Okay, Lance, 15 seconds to go. We’re all happy with everything. Focus on your tyres. Get a good gap to Fernando. Don’t let anybody through. Focus on your tyres. 10 seconds.
Michell	Five seconds, five seconds.
Michell	And with the weather, it’s important we’re in the first group to start the lap, Lance, okay, so we’re in a good position.
Michell	Good braking Lance. So gap ahead four, make a gap. Hamilton [unclear]. So tyres are on the cold side so good braking, energy out of four, work on the brakes, work on the tyres. Lean in six and seven to build some bulk temp.
Michell	Okay you’re doing a good job, Lance. A bit more on the front, if we can. Fernando seven in front, Hamilton’s eight behind you. It’s just about getting this lap in. So gap ahead seven.
Michell	Gap ahead of you is six seconds. Good braking, a little bit more gap. Go one, gap ahead seven.
Michell	Perez starting a lap behind, don’t impede him, don’t impede him. Let Perez by. Out three, push the in lap. Fast in-lap now.
Michell	Target minus ten on the dash. Out three, out three, out three.
Michell	Yellow flag Piastri turn 12. He’s moving, but yellow flag.
Michell	There is no weighbridge, Lance, so come straight back in. Straight back in. We’re expecting rain.
Michell	Okay Lance slippery track declared, it’s going to get heavy rain now. So we’re going to get the car turned around, but thinking we’re not going out. It is raining now.
Michell	You’re P3 at the moment so we’re standing by.

Lewis Hamilton

Position in queue: 3rd
Qualified: 5th, 1’11.469

Although they secured some of the better starting positions at the pit exit, Mercedes seemed unaware that the conditions were about to deteriorate as swiftly as they did.

But getting a favourable spot at the pit lane exit was a double-edged sword for this team, as the W14 tends not to heat its tyres up as well as rival cars, and the drop in temperatures they experienced while waiting for the session to begin compromised both drivers. Hamilton delivered a clean lap but said afterwards he felt they could have qualified better had the conditions been more normal.

Bonnington	So we will be queueing. Two minutes and 20 until green light. There is threat of rain.
Hamilton	So I just saw the delta just changed, is that not where I need to improve?
Bonnington	I think that was just moving the reference. So we can switch the PU off.
Hamilton	Give me that feedback piece, Mike. I don’t really understand is it the first up to turn six and down or after that?
Unknown	So Lewis there’s time to find turn four, a few tenths, and then George at eight-nine so looking at a compromise of eight, focused on the exit of nine, min. speed.
Bonnington	Switch car to P2.
Bonnington	Wait for fire-up.
Bonnington	30 seconds to green light.
Hamilton	Am I going to need a bigger gap ahead or not?
Bonnington	No, I don’t think so. You had about five or 6 seconds last time.
Bonnington	And 15.
Hamilton	Is that the gap I want
Bonnington	Yeah copy that’s good. 10 seconds.
Bonnington	So maybe rain on the radar. Well actually rain falling now. A couple of jackets have gone on.
Bonnington	We just need to get a lap on soft. So it’s possible rain. You’ve got a two ahead. Verstappen may be pushing through. You’ve got thee seconds ahead, three seconds ahead, now four, four and a half. Five ahead to Stroll.
Bonnington	Just stay on that delta
Bonnington	Good gaps, we can push through 11. Then it will be strat two, good to go.
Hamilton	Got no grip on these tyres, man.
Bonnington	So we’ll box, box. Wait for other cars to complete their laps.
Hamilton	No grip. Tyres not ready or what?
Bonnington	We were waiting down the end of the pit lane so that’s probably hurts us, but it will hurt everyone else. rain in the pit lane
Hamilton	What position are we currently?
Bonnington	Just waiting for cars to finish. Currently P5. So let’s hurry up, get back.
Bonnington	Yellow exit turn 12 Piastri may have I just dragged some crap onto the track. Got rain in the pit lane.
Hamilton	It’s wet on a bunch of corners. Damp.
Bonnington	Okay copy. Box, box.
Bonnington	Stop on the marks, we’ll pull you back in the garage.
Hamilton	What position are we?
Bonnington	Currently P5.

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Max Verstappen

Position in queue: 4th
Qualified: 1st, 1’10.727

Red Bull had the least advantageous garage position for getting a place at the end of the pit lane. Nonetheless Max Verstappen lined up fifth in the queue, then immediately passed George Russell to join the track in fourth, while also complaining Hamilton got in his way as they joined the track.

Like many drivers he was concerned by how poor the grip was on his lap – but despite that he set the quickest time.

Lambiase	That’s two minutes 15, Max. And if we switch off, P1 and then P2 please. Pitlane speed limiter off as well as please Max.
Lambiase	And that’s one minute Max, one minute. And we can fire up. Pit lane speed limiter on.
Lambiase	30 seconds. So the rain is incoming, Max, likely to end of Q3.
Verstappen	He’s already making the gap before the lights.
Lambiase	Understood, thank you.
Verstappen	I’m getting blocked.
Lambiase	Increase gap. Okay, good to go.
Lambiase	So eyes on dash, Max. Push the out-lap.
Lambiase	Hamilton through 11.
Verstappen	(Almost simultaneously) Update on the gap?
Lambiase	Hamilton turn 12 and he’s gone. Let’s go. Recharge on and recharge off when you’re ready.
Verstappen	Ah, zero fucking grip, on this tyre. What the fuck.
Lambiase	Similar comments around the drivers, Max. Keep pushing to the end please.
Lambiase	Currently P1.
Verstappen	Shocking.
Lambiase	P2 is an 11.3 at the moment. Hamilton was an 11.4. Russell 11.6. Leclerc 11.0. Norris 11.9. So we’ve got yellows turn 12.
Verstappen	Yeah it’s gonna rain.
Lambiase	Yellows turn 12, Piastri.
Verstappen	It’s coming down hard soon.
Lambiase	So box Max.

George Russell

Position in queue: 5th
Qualified: 6th, 1’11.590 (Later given a two-place grid penalty)

Russell was so unhappy with his lap he told his team he wanted to abort it and fit fresh tyres. But race engineer Ricardo Musconi urged him to take the chequered flag, which was the right call, as he secured a sixth place which was better than he expected.

Musconi	So just over two minutes to green light.
Russell	Do I keep it running. We’ll switch off. P1.
Musconi	90 seconds. 45 seconds. 30 seconds.
Musconi	So we keep to the left.
Musconi	(Verstappen passes) So rain is inbound. Will hit turn one first.
Russell	Gap ahead.
Musconi	Got four seconds ahead. Just be careful of people behind trying to push through. Four seconds ahead. So just get these, focus on getting these tyres in the window. That rain threat is real.
Musconi	So gap ahead four seconds, let’s go. Gap six seconds. Gap seven seconds. Gap now, five… six seconds. So gap seven seconds. We’ll be strat two, good to go.
Russell	At Juncao Box for a new set now.
Musconi	Keep pushing, keep pushing. Need to complete this lap.
Russell	Yeah got nothing from the tyres mate, nothing.
Musconi	So strat one, box box, clear behind.
Russell	Got absolutely nothing from the tyres. Exactly the same as last week.
Musconi	I know mate but if the rain hits we need the time on the board.
Russell	Yeah.
Musconi	Keep the pace up on the way in.
Russell	It’s already here. Fuck’s sake guys, sorry.
Musconi	So we got a yellow flag turn 12, Piastri. He is moving. He’s been through the grass. Clear behind.
Musconi	So just try and avoid low brake pressures. No brake split at the moment. Just keep on top of those.
Russell	I don’t see any rain on the visor at the moment, but I’m sliding all over the place.
Musconi	Yeah affirm, lot of people putting on rain jackets in the pit lane. We’ll box box. The wind has definitely picked up a lot here in the pits. And we’ve got a report slippery track turn three. So. box box look for Rich stopping long.
Russell	Where are we? What position?
Musconi	Currently P6.
Russell	Surprising. That was awful.
Musconi	Everyone was struggling out there mate. Everyone was struggling.
Russell	I can’t see shit in the pit lane now, it’s so dark. Wow.
Musconi	It is.
Russell	What was the quickest lap? Let’s get this turned around ASAP.
Musconi	Verstappen 10.7 and then Leclerc second.

Charles Leclerc

Position in queue: 6th
Qualified: 2nd, 1’11.021

Charles Leclerc lost out badly in Q3 last year, joining the track on intermediate tyres before the rain hit. Before leaving the garage he urged his team to get him to the pit exit as soon as possible. He only lined up sixth in the queue but delivered a strong lap to take second on the grid.

Leclerc	Cannot we wait at the end of the pit lane to be the first one
Leclerc	He queues at the pit exit Rain expected when
Marcos Padros	Seven minutes into the session.
Marcos Padros	Okay. And 30 seconds. Okay. So it will be spots seven minutes into the session and heavy rain eight to nine minutes into the session. And we’ll need to cool down the engine whenever you can.
Marcos Padros	Gap to Russell three seconds now. Five seconds and try to cool down the engine on the straight, if you can. No one pushing behind. Gap to Russell, eight. And rain expected in around four minutes. Russell seven-and-a-half. No one pushing behind. And it will be mode push for last corner. Mode push.
Leclerc	I really don’t know what happened on this set.
Marcos Padros	So it’s the same for everyone at the moment. So as a reference you are P2 now. Verstappen P1. Versatppen 10.7. And radio off please.
Leclerc	Boy this is the strangest thing ever.
Marcos Padros	And charge button on and cool the engine please. And box this lap.
Leclerc	Box. I… okay. I mean I’ve already said it but I think in my whole career I have never experienced that. It felt like it was raining but there’s no rain around. This is super weird.
Marcos Padros	Copy.
Leclerc	And I think that’s it for today. Woah. Yeah, that’s it
Marcos Padros	Raining in the pit lane and box now, still P2.
Marcos Padros	Stop in front of the garage.

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Lando Norris

Position in queue: 7th
Qualified: 7th, 1’11.987

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella admitted after qualifying they squandered an opportunity by failing to get their cars onto the track sooner. As the session began the FIA weather forecast updated to show rain would arrive within minutes, yet they remained convinced it wouldn’t arrive until the end of the session, which led to their strategic error. Afterwards Lando Norris admitted this had been another missed opportunity to take pole position.

Lopez Garcia	I think we are seventh in the queue, Lando. So we can switch the car off. And that’s still two minutes to open the pit lane.
Norris	Are you happy with A4 everywhere?
Unknown	Yeah. Lando I’m happy with that.
Norris	Cool.
Lopez Garcia	And that’s 30 seconds to go, you can fire up. And the drops of rain seem to be stopping.
Lopez Garcia	And that’s the start of the session. You are seventh car in the queue. Alonso in turn nine. And you won’t be held up at the end. And weather update for you: We are even more sure that the rain will hit towards the end of qualifying. Slippery in turn 12.
Norris	Should I just box?
Lopez Garcia	Complete the lap, complete the lap.
Norris	Yeah, rain. A lot of rain turn one.
Lopez Garcia	Understood.
Lopez Garcia	Rain is getting heavier Lando so be careful on your way back.
Norris	Yeah I know.
Lopez Garcia	Okay, let’s stay on the delta, on the delta, not faster.
Norris	Yeah I’m trying mate, it’s fucking raining.
Lopez Garcia	Yeah understood.
Norris	I’ll just jump out then.
Lopez Garcia	Ah, stay in for the moment. But I know what you mean.

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Carlos Sainz Jnr

Position in queue: 8th
Qualified: 8th, 1’11.989

Carlos Sainz Jnr was another driver who appeared ready to abandon his lap, but was urged to press on by his race engineer.

Adami	And if you can cool the car down a bit to the streets without the.
Sainz	Am I the last car?
Adami	Leclerc is actually sixth in the queue, Sainz eighth Seven and eight, we were. Piastri and Checo are in the pits. Try to get some speed and cool it down, it’s important.
Sainz	Yeah but the tyres also.
Adami	Piastri behind, watch for Piastri behind. He’s slowing down, Piastri slowing down. Alonso on the main straight, exiting last corner. And Lando five in front.
Adami	Try to prepare your tyres as much as you can. Rain is expected in three minutes. Lando six in front, Piastri seven behind.
Sainz	Shit lap.
Adami	Keep going. Keep going.
Sainz	I have zero grip.
Adami	Yeah the wind changed 180 degrees. It’s a big storm.
Sainz	I had rain in the last [unclear].

Oscar Piastri

Position in queue: 9th
Qualified: 10th, No time

Oscar Piastri did not queue at the pit lane exit. Instead McLaren sent him out as the session began, which would have allowed him to keep his tyres warmer, but left him facing most challenging conditions. They caught him out at Juncao, where he spun, ruining his lap.

Stallard	Okay. So car ahead of you is Sainz. Perez has followed you out. Manage your gap.
Stallard	All our weather spotters report rain has stopped.
Stallard	First car is a Alonso, 10 seconds.
Stallard	Wind is very light. Direction shifted slightly. You might catch a headwind out of turn four. Alonso, five. Sainz opening a lap now eight seconds ahead. Alonso two.
Stallard	(Piastri goes off). Okay. Oscar, are you able to bring the car back?
Piastri	Yes.
Stallard	So we’re box this lap. Cars behind are in phase. Recharge on. Stop in front of the garage.
Piastri	Oscar pit lane.
Stallard	Top right toggle.
Stallard	So preparing the call, but looking at the colour of the sky… so Perez has done a 12.3. But I think that will be difficult given what I believe the conditions are like now.
Piastri	But is it actually raining? Because I didn’t think it was raining.

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Sergio Perez

Position in queue: 10th
Qualified: 9th, 1’12.321

While Verstappen made it out of the pits fifth, his team mate Sergio Perez as last in the queue, a position which was always going to disadvantage him. When Piastri spun in front of him, bringing out the yellow flags, it doomed him to no better than ninth on the grid. He had been on course for third place until then, which under the circumstances would have been a major triumph.

Bird	B-bal three. B-bal three. So Sainz going slow at SC2, backing up here. Make sure you’ve got that gap. No threats behind here.
Bird	Fernando at turn one.
Bird	Okay Fernando four seconds back. Fernando one second, coming through. The next car is Stroll, five seconds. Stroll at four seconds. So B-bal three, we’re good. Piastri’s gone. Recharge off when you’re ready. Stroll coming.
Bird	Yellows ahead, yellows.
Bird	Complete the lap, complete the lap. Okay, Delta on, delta on.
Perez	Ah, fuck’s sake, man. It is now fucking raining.
Bird	So keep the pace up, keep the pace up. Best chance to go again. So everyone’s finding it tricky out there. 10.7 for Max. 11.0 Leclerc P2.
Bird	Checo it is picking up. Okay. In to Matt and switch off.

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