Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Jeddah Corniche Circuit, 2022

Transcript: How Verstappen fought Leclerc on his radio and on the track in Jeddah

2022 Saudi Arabian GP team radio transcript

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Max Verstappen won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix by patiently working himself into a position to take advantage of his Drag Reduction System on the start-finish straight.

Until that decisive move was made on the 46th lap of the race, the Red Bull driver had spent the best part of 80 minutes staring at the F1-75’s rear wing.

That gave him plenty of opportunity to observe what Leclerc was up to. He tried to turn that to his advantage as well, highlighting any possible infringement by the Ferrari driver which the stewards might pick up on: The lights on his car, his line on the main straight, his observance of yellow flags.

Eventually Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase urged him to “calm down” and “let us do our work.” But Verstappen always seemed to have his driving under control, and eventually teed Leclerc up for a race-winning pass.

Before that, the pair of them had to get into position to win the race. Pole-winner Sergio Perez led the opening laps, but behind him second-placed Leclerc was eager to apply strategic pressure, urging his team to consider a pit stop in an attempt to get ahead of the leader. But Red Bull pre-empted the move, bringing Perez in first.

LapRed Bull speakerMessageFerrari speakerMessage
1LambiaseMode seven what you can.
1LambiaseAnd brake bias offset Max, brake bias offset. Display eight when you can, display eight.
1LambiaseStrat six please Max, strat six.
1LambiaseBias is still minus two.
1LambiaseSo just forwards on your tools for the moment.
2LambiaseAnd display five position three for increased diff support, display five position three when you can.M.PadrosTake care of the tyres at turn 22. Gap to Verstappen behind 1.6.
3M.PadrosAnd we need to look after the tyres at turns six, seven, 10 and also 22. Gap to Verstappen behind 1.5, Perez in front of 1.8.
4VerstappenThe lights of Leclerc don’t work on the back of this car.M.PadrosAt the moment we are thinking plan A, plan A.
4LambiaseConfirm, they do not work? Question.
4VerstappenYeah, they don’t work.
5LambiaseUnderstood. Thank you.M.PadrosTyre phase update when you can.
6M.PadrosAnd tyres are good to push.
7M.PadrosYou are doing a good job on tyres, continue like this.
8LeclercStop speaking in the first corner, please.
8M.PadrosGot to Verstappen behind 1.5. We are going plan A and our degradation is better than Red Bull.
9VerstappenMate, front starts to slowly give up.M.PadrosAnd try to increase pushing status.
10M.PadrosYou are doing a good job, continue like this.
10LambiaseThink about the pull toggle at turn 16 if it’s convenient.
11VerstappenAh mate I can’t do shit, it’s just understeering.M.PadrosAnd tyre phase update when you can.
11LambiaseOkay so come back on some of the tools that you closed up before.M.PadrosAn increase pushing a status a bit more.
11LeclercI can’t.
12M.PadrosAnd tyre life is plus four compared to pre-event, plus four.
13LeclercConsider box to overtake.
13M.PadrosUnderstood.
14LambiaseCan I have a front wing update for the next stint please, Max.M.PadrosAnd box to overtake, box to overtake.
14VerstappenThe tyres just have died, the front wing is actually okay.M.PadrosAnd stay out, stay out, stay out.
14M.PadrosPush for over-cut.
14LeclercCopy that.
15LambiaseOkay so Checo in pit lane.M.PadrosAnd Perez pitted for hard.
15LambiaseLeclerc 35.2, 35.2.LeclercWhat are we doing?

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, leads behind the Mercedes FIA Safety Car, Jeddah Corniche Circuit, 2022
Early Safety Car handed the lead to Leclerc
“We were ready to pit,” Leclerc said afterwards, acknowledging that he would have come in had Perez not done so. “We basically went for the opposite to Checo in front, and he boxed that lap, so I think we did the right choice.”

It turned out that way because the Safety Car appeared moments later, allowing Leclerc to make his pit stop while losing less time, and take the lead.

Verstappen pitted too, discarding his medium compound tyres for the hard rubber. “I didn’t really feel that happy on the medium,” he explained. “All the time, when you would get close to the car ahead the tyres would die.

“So there was not much racing going on there. It was a little bit frustrating to just sit there and wait for the right lap to pit so you could go onto the other tyres, because as soon as we went on to the hard tyre I had a much better feeling.”

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15VerstappenMy right-front is dead, mate.M.PadrosStandby.
15LambiaseUnderstood.M.PadrosDouble yellow, double yellow, turn 27, double yellow, turn 27. And debris exit 27 on the outside.
15LambiaseVirtual Safety Car deployed, Max, VSC deployed. Box and pit confirm, box and pit confirm. Just keep your dash positive. Dash plus one.M.PadrosAnd box now box.
15LambiaseStrat… Safety Car Deployed, Safety Car Deployed, strat 12 in pit lane.LeclercBox.
15LambiaseStrat eight, white line on the exit.M.PadrosBox now box.
15LambiaseTorque nine, torque nine and white line on the exit.M.PadrosCharge button on, charge button on.
15M.PadrosAnd radio off, radio off.
15M.PadrosCharge button on, charge on.
15M.PadrosOkay track is clear, track clear.
15M.PadrosYou can press SOC seven.
16VerstappenDid someone start the race on the hard?M.PadrosSo everyone around you is hard, everyone behind you on hard.
16LambiaseYes, they did.M.PadrosAnd keep working on these tyres, please, keep working on the tyres.
16VerstappenMate how did that pace look?M.PadrosWe need to work on the front tyres.
16LambiaseDifficult to say, really, they were in traffic at the time. All cars around here are on the hard tyre now.M.PadrosAnd try to target minus 15 on tyres.
16LambiaseStrat five.M.PadrosAnd less braking, please, take it easy there, less braking.
16LeclercCan the Safety Car push a bit more in the straights, please?
16M.PadrosCopy, we’ll ask.
17LambiaseOkay Max so you know what the base plan will be at this stage. So like I say, bring these tyres in nicely as they come up to temperature. Watch your slip on the front-right. Let’s try to get the deg down on this set.M.PadrosKeep working on the tyres as you are doing, good job.
17VerstappenHow are the brakes?M.PadrosAnd good job on tyres.
17LambiaseStabilised. Still a little bit warmer than we’d prefer at this point. If you can try to keep the speed up without using them at the moment. Air speed up.
17LambiaseMode three please Max.
18LambiaseGood job on the front brakes, Max.M.PadrosSo on the hard we see warm up on sector one and then stronger tyres than expected after that.
18LeclercShould I stay mode charge?
18M.PadrosYes, stay in charge.
18M.PadrosSo when we restart, it will be K2 on and then K2 off at turn one, please.
18M.PadrosAnd if anything, we should work on turn two, that’s the only place we are losing. That’s compared to Sainz.
19LambiaseOkay Max let’s have some straight-line braking, please. Nice and positive on the brakes. Straight-line braking.M.PadrosSo if it is easier for you after the restart you can do K2 off into turn four.
19LambiaseOkay the safety car is in this lap Max, Safety Car, is in this lap.M.PadrosSafety Car in this lap. Safety Car in this lap.
19LambiaseOkay so for the restart it’s just recharge off and your brake bias offset as you need it for the opening lap. A reminder you are unable to overtake until the line. We are racing only from the line.M.PadrosSo next car behind is Verstappen. Behind Verstappen there’s Perez and then Sainz. Everyone on hard.
19LambiaseSafety Car is at turn 26.M.PadrosIt will be K2 on for the restart.
19LambiaseSafety Car at turn 27.M.PadrosSafety Car exit 27.

(L to R): Max Verstappen, Red Bull; Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Jeddah Corniche Circuit, 2022
Leclerc made life difficult for Verstappen at the restart
After the Safety Car came in, Red Bull played the long game with Verstappen, expecting his superior straight-line speed would eventually offer him an opportunity to get past.

“I tried to stay close with Charles after the Safety Car restart and I was just trying to keep the gap more or less the same,” he said. “And that was basically it, just trying to match the lap times, trying to get a bit closer, then he was pulling away a bit. I got a bit closer again.”

Their cars’ strengths lay on different parts of the track, Leclerc noted. “It was very difficult because we had two cars that were in a very different place. I was very strong in the first sector, in all the corners, and basically much less strong in the straights.”

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20LambiaseCar behind is Sainz.
20LambiaseAnd brake bias offset Max.
21VerstappenLeclerc crossed the white line on pit entry.M.PadrosAnd SOC 6 when you can.
21LambiaseUnderstood, thank you.
22LambiaseDRS are enabled.M.PadrosAnd DRS enabled, Verstappen behind 1.5.
24LambiaseStrat four. strat four.
25VerstappenIt’s pretty hard to follow. I think we’re quite quick but hard to follow.M.PadrosAnd we need multifunction D O position four, D O position four.
25LambiaseUnderstood. just look after the front-right.
25LambiaseWatch your braking and traction metrics as well for the rear.
25LambiaseAll of Leclerc’s lap time is in that first sector. Five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, as you’d expect. Let’s see how long he can keep it up.
26M.PadrosAnd diff in plus one, suggestion.
27LambiaseOkay Leclerc 33.2, you 33.0. Sainz 33.7.
29LambiaseEngine 13 position five, when you can. Engine one three position five, when you can, Max. Trying to improve energy.M.PadrosAnd tyres are good to push, continue like this, you’re doing a good job.
30LambiaseOK, that’s 30 laps complete, Max 20 remaining.
30LambiaseHamilton has completed 30 laps on his first set of hard tyres.
30LambiaseStrat three, please Max. Strat three.
31LambiaseLeclerc 33.0
31LambiaseLet’s just keep it sensible in the high speed for now, we can put pressure on later in the race. Let Leclerc use up his tyres for the moment.
31LambiaseEngine one, position five. Engine one position five, when you can.
32LambiaseSo Hamilton and Magnussen still yet to pit on their start tyres. They are green on their last laps.
33M.PadrosAnd good job on tyres, continue like this.

The race’s second interruption came when Fernando Alonso and Daniel Ricciardo slower, the latter coming to a stop in the pit lane entrance, triggering a Virtual Safety Car period.

Start, Jeddah Corniche Circuit, 2022
Gallery: 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in pictures
For the pair contesting victory at the front, this meant ensuring they brought their tyres back up to operating temperature after cooling at slower speeds. Meanwhile Leclerc was watching Verstappen just as his rival watched him, at one point alerting his team the Red Bull driver suddenly seemed closer than he should be while the race was neutralised.

Verstappen said he hadn’t been trying to game the system to get closer to his rival while obeying the delta time intervals applied during the VSC period.

“To be honest, I was a little bit surprised myself that it did look a little bit closer, but I don’t know how close Charles was to zero with the delta,” he said. “That’s always a bit of a question mark.

“But also, sometimes it depends a bit where the restart is: If it’s in a corner for somebody in front or not. I think I was still on a bit more of the straight side and I had a bit of a better run into turn four as well.”

35Lambiase15 laps remaining.
36LambiaseOkay Max, Alonso is moving very slowly ahead, he’s on the approach to turn 22. Alonso at 22.M.PadrosAnd Alonso slow in front, is now at turn 20, be careful with him.
36LambiaseWe’ve got yellows where you are at the moment.M.PadrosRicciardo stop in pit entry. Gap to Verstappen behind 1.3.
37VerstappenI don’t think he lifted.M.PadrosVirtual Safety Car deployed, Virtual Safety Car deployed. Pit lane is closed, pit lane is closed.
37LambiaseOkay understood thank you.M.PadrosAnd charge button on, charge on.
37LambiaseOkay Virtual Safety Car deployed Max. Target positive, dash positive. Stay out, stay out, the pit entry is closed, you are staying out.M.PadrosSo pit lane is closed, Alonso and Ricciardo stopped there.
37VerstappenYeah tyres are fine anyway.
37VerstappenYeah understood.
37LambiaseRecharge on. Recharge on.
37LambiaseWe’re looking into your last comment about the yellow there, Max as well, thank you.
37VerstappenThere’s oil in the last corner.
37LambiaseUnderstood.
38M.PadrosThey have cleared Ricciardo’s car but Alonso still there pit entry.
38M.PadrosAnd for tyres, we can push ’til the end. Try to keep some temperature in the fronts, if you can.
38M.PadrosPit entry is closed. And less braking, easy on brakes.
38M.PadrosThey are starting to push Alonso’s car out of the way.
38M.PadrosAnd when we restart it will be K2 on.
39LambiaseI don’t think this will be too much longer Max.M.PadrosYou are doing a good job on tyre temperatures, they are okay to push on tyre temperatures.
39LambiaseCars look like they’re getting cleared at the pit lane entry.M.PadrosAnd we think it will be soon.
39LambiaseBe aware we’ve lost quite a bit of temperature in the tyres, biased to the front axles. So fronts will be cool. So think about your braking offset.LeclercWhy is Max much closer?
39M.PadrosIt’s okay now, should be fine. And left toggle off, left toggle off.
39M.PadrosVirtual Safety Car ending, Virtual Safety Car ending, K2 on.
39M.PadrosDRS enabled, Verstappen behind 1.2.

The VSC period ended with 11 laps of racing to go and now the fight for victory was on.

(L to R): Charles Leclerc, Ferrari; Max Verstappen, Red Bull, Jeddah Corniche Circuit, 2022
Neither driver wanted to be first to the DRS line
“I knew that the strength of Max and the Red Bull in general this weekend was the straight-line speed,” said Leclerc. “So I basically knew that if I was leaving Max with a DRS behind for the main straight, I will basically be overtaken very easily.

“So, I just wanted that, DRS, so on the first lap, I braked very early and I got the DRS and manage to overtake back on the run to turn one.”

Verstappen took note of his rival’s DRS tactics but also the power of Ferrari’s hybrid system when pushed to the maximum. “Like Charles said you always try to have a good run with the DRS into the final zone, where then you have a lot of fast corners where you cannot pass. So Charles played it very smart there.

“But also it seemed like their defence [and] attack mode is very powerful. So, for me also, even more top speed. It was very hard to nail the overtake.”

40LambiaseOkay VSC ending, Max. Recharge off, Virtual Safety Car ending. Focus.M.PadrosVerstappen behind with DRS.
40VerstappenWhat’s the gap?M.PadrosVerstappen behind with DRS.
40Lambiase1.1.M.PadrosAnd SOC eight when you can.
40LambiaseBrake bias offset.
40LambiaseSo you’re on DRS.
41LambiaseYou have DRS.M.PadrosVerstappen behind with the DRS.
41LambiaseMode seven Max.M.PadrosVerstappen behind with DRS again.
42LambiasePress and hold the overtake.M.PadrosVerstappen behind with DRS, Verstappen behind with DRS.
42VerstappenGap?M.PadrosVerstappen behind with DRS again.
42LambiaseOne second.M.PadrosVerstappen behind with DRS.
42Lambiase0.5.M.PadrosAnd SOC eight when you can.
43VerstappenHe crossed the line again.M.PadrosVerstappen behind with DRS.
43LambiaseCopy that. Thank you, we’ve seen it.
43LambiaseYou calm down, let us do our work mate, just keep your head down.
43LambiaseMode eight Max, mode eight.
44M.PadrosVerstappen behind with DRS and five laps to go.
45LambiaseOkay that’s five laps remaining, Max, five laps.M.PadrosVerstappen behind with DRS.
45VerstappenMode seven, I want?M.PadrosVerstappen behind with DRS.
45LambiaseMode seven, yep, mode seven.M.PadrosAnd SOC eight when you can.
45LambiaseGap 0.8.

On his third significant attempt, Verstappen finally executed the crucial move on Leclerc. Soon afterwards, Alexander Albon and Lance Stroll collided at the first corner, bringing out the yellow flags.

Albon’s tangle with Leclerc was bad news for Stroll
This was a double blow for Leclerc. Not only was a key overtaking spot on the track temporarily out of action, but the DRS zone on the pit straight was deactivated, preventing him from closing back up on the Red Bull driver.

“I tried to have the DRS in the last corner, it worked twice but it didn’t the last time, and then obviously there was this yellow flag,” he said. “I think the one where I could have had a chance to at least be alongside was the one into turn one I had no DRS there, so this was a little bit of a shame. But it’s part of the game.”

Now Verstappen sprinted for the line. “Once I was ahead it was really like four laps flat-out trying to stay ahead because Charles was consistently in my DRS,” he said. “It was quite tough out there.”

With one eye on the red car in his mirrors, Verstappen suspected Leclerc had not lifted as much as he did through the yellow flags on the final lap, and warned his team on the radio.

46VerstappenGap?M.PadrosAnd SOC six when you can.
46LambiaseShowing 0.8. You are fuel free, Max, fuel free.M.PadrosAnd three laps to go.
46Lambiase0.8.
47VerstappenGas?M.PadrosDouble yellow turns one and two. Double yellow turns one… Now it’s clear, clear, clear.
47Lambiase0.7. And that’s a purple lap.M.PadrosSingle yellow, turn one, single yellow, turn one.
47VerstappenHow many laps?M.PadrosAnd SOC five when you can.
47LambiaseThree remaining.
47Lambiase0.6.
47Lambiase0.5.
48LambiaseOkay we’ve got yellows at turn one-two. Yellows turn one-two.M.PadrosAnd last lap.
48LambiaseTrack clear.M.PadrosDouble yellow turns eight and nine.
48LambiaseOkay two more laps.M.PadrosAnd SOC three when you saw three.
48LambiaseMode six.
48Lambiase0.7.
48Lambiase0.7.
49Lambiase0.7.
49LambiaseThis is the final lap.
49LambiaseSo we’ve still got yellows, six, seven, eight, nine, 10 double yellows.
49LambiaseDouble yellows eight, nine, 10.
49VerstappenHow’d he close up? That’s so unfair.
49LambiaseMode four.
49LambiaseGap a 0.5.
49Lambiase0.5. Need a clean exit.
49Lambiase0.4. Press and hold the overtake.
50VerstappenHaha! Nice! Fucking hell. That was good,M.PadrosAnd charge button on, P2.
50LambiaseThat was good. Okay, 2022 has started.LeclercYep. Well done to Max, that was nice. Ah, we lacked a little bit of straight-line speed.
50HornerWow, that was close. Wow. Unbelievable. Well done, Max. Great. Great job.M.PadrosStill double yellow turns six, turns eight and nine, turns eight and nine. Be careful, turns eight, nine please.
50VerstappenThat was good racing, holy shit. Nice. Good job, guys. We are back on track.LeclercYeah, copy.
50LambiaseStill got double yellows eight, nine, 10, Max. Fail 84, fail 84.M.PadrosYou’ve done a great job. Charge button on. And we have the fastest lap.
50VerstappenI mean that last one mate that really difficult what to do because I’m fully lifting in both corners.M.PadrosDo you want positions?
50LambiaseYeah I understand, Max, I understand. It’s always going to go that way presumably. But there was no outwitting you today. So top job. You played that final stint perfectly.LeclercWell I know. Can I have the fastest lap of everyone please? I mean of the top four.
50VerstappenThat was exciting.M.PadrosSo Verstappen, 31.7, Sainz 32.6 and then Perez 33.1.
50HornerWell done mate that was very tactical, you timed it perfectly, absolutely perfectly.LeclercCopy.
50VerstappenWhat was the finishing order in the end?M.PadrosCorrection Sainz 31.9, Verstappen, 31.8 and Pirelli 32.0.
50LambiaseSo yourself, Leclerc and Sainz. So spare a thought for Checo today in fourth. So basically what happened to him was I think he came out literally a tenth or two behind Sainz at the Safety Car line two. That was unfortunate for him.LeclercAnd me 31.7?
50VerstappenThat’s really unlucky man. But we have a lot of races, we can make it a one-two.M.Padros31.6 for you.
50LeclercOkay.
50LeclercIt’s not on the track, where do we go?
50M.PadrosInto the pit lane, into the pit lane.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull, Jeddah Corniche Circuit, 2022
Verstappen celebrated his first win as world champion
Immediately after the race the stewards noted three drivers may have failed to properly obey the yellow flags, but none of them were Leclerc or Verstappen, and no action was taken anyway.

Having been unable to make a pass stick on Leclerc in Bahrain, Verstappen got his own back in Saudi Arabia. He did it by throwing everything he had at his rival, on the track and on his radio.

NB. The transcripts above discount some routine messages such as those about gaps between drivers.

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2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

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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...

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24 comments on “Transcript: How Verstappen fought Leclerc on his radio and on the track in Jeddah”

  1. Ah this is pure gold, thank you. Some minor bugs with quoting the wrong person (driver or pit) but we know who said what.

  2. Strange Charles never got a penaulty by crossing the Pitline while Yuki got twice 5 seconds penalty for the same thing.
    Rules changed orso?

    1. From what I understand it was explicitly stated in the race director’s notes that it wasn’t allowed. So I do wonder why there was no reaction from race control on it. Though it could be Ferrari were told to stop doing that, as we’re no longer privy to race director communications, there’s no way to tell.

      1. They don’t ban the crossing of the solid white line on pit entry except when entering the pits. If you are not entering the pits, you can’t put any part of the car over the dotted line which angles across the pit entry. AFAIK Charles never crossed that line, just the solid one.

        16.3 Except in the cases of force majeure (accepted as such by the Stewards), the crossing by any part of the car, in any direction, of the painted area between the pit entry and the track, by a driver who, in the opinion of the Stewards, had committed to entering the pit lane is prohibited.

        16.4 The dotted white line at the Pit Entry and at the Pit Exit identify the track edge line. (red arrows in the pictures above). No part of the car may cross this line.

        https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/decision-document/2022%20Saudi%20Arabian%20Grand%20Prix%20-%20Event%20Notes%20v2.pdf

    2. @macleod Yuki got a penalty for crossing the line whilst going into the pits iirc. There’s no automatic penalty for one offence of going over the line when you’re racing. Massa got a penalty for this in Brazil once, after he did it 3 times.

  3. I’ve got two questions:
    1) were the lights working on Leclerc’s car?
    2) what is K2 (not the mountain)?

    1. @jff K2 is a button linked to ERS usage.

      1. petebaldwin (@)
        30th March 2022, 9:34

        Ah yeah – I just looked at their steering wheel from last year and there’s a big K1 button (I guess that’s the overtake button) and then a smaller K2 button which is likely a similar setting for restarts.

    2. petebaldwin (@)
      30th March 2022, 9:29

      As a guess, perhaps K2 relates to the MGU-K – full deployment at the restart?

    3. No, lights were not working for some time, but then they seem to fix it.

  4. If they are dicing then i guess however its happening doesn’t matter but anybody else have a heart synch reading any of this, which is effectively, coaching. I didnt read it all, too much like pulling back that curtain. Maybe i’m naive but i dont get much thrill from knowing this is how its done

    1. F1 it’s a team effort but there’s still a large difference between how well certain drivers are able to execute the strategy. For me it doesn’t take away anything from what we’ve seen

      1. For me it a actually does… Drivers should not get hints on tire and brake temps telemetry, and ideally not on engine modes – – but that’s where the manufacturers will NEVER concede.

        (I.e. I agree with an old Ham qoute about getting rid of going back to “driver feel”)

    2. @tonymansell TBH, yes, a bit too much information – for us and for Max and probably all the other drivers: it does seem to verge on coaching or having a virtual co-driver. I think they should be left on their own bar exchanges for safety reasons (warning of some imminent failure, VSC etc.) or instructions to pit.

      1. I agree, I don’t like this driver coaching/virtual co-driver and there was a point in 2014/15 where instructions like which racing line to take were banned and the driver was expected to drive unaided but, obviously, they returned. Nico Rosberg comes to mind as a driver who relied on this quite a bit.

        1. I don’t disagree, but I don’t know how they would stop this, and let’s be ever mindful that during races pit to driver communications are revealed to us selectively to create a narrative, so sometimes it may appear like a certain driver is getting or ‘needing’ more coaching than others, when they all are likely having equal communications all race long. Did Nico Rosberg really rely on it any more than any other driver, or is that just the narrative we were fed?

          I realize that this isn’t just about what we hear though, and is also about what we get to read such as in the article of this topic, where after the fact we get to glean it all. Just as it would be interesting to see them racing without DRS, it would also be fascinating to see how the teams and drivers would do if much of this communication could be eliminated and the drivers left much more on their own, like F1 has been in the past.

        2. @The Dolphins:
          It was actually Rosberg in 2016 in Baku who managed to select the correct mode in the Mercedes and Hamilton who failed, while his team were not allowed to tell him. He had a miserable race from then on while Rosberg won.

          I’d say roughly all drivers are basically nowhere if they are not told what to do. I don’t like that. I don’t mind the ‘radio silence’ trialed in 2016. If the drivers can’t handle all these settings, then the engineers will just have to simplify the cars.

          1. Seconded! Nico definitely looked better during that short period of radio communication/coaching ban. Only after Lewis got schooled by him did he begin putting more effort into those technical aspects of the car.

  5. But Red Bull pre-empted the move, bringing Perez in first.

    you say pre-empted….I would say we’re forced.

    1. Nope, that was only the impression the director created. Perez pitted as planned.

  6. Interesting that the fight max had with the tear off stuck in his cockpit did not resulted in any remark.

  7. Great work, thank you very much. It’s always funny to see the difference between the drivers on the radio. Leclerc barley talks or gets emotional whereas Verstappen is going through all the highs and lows with his engineer.

  8. Quite telling how much more spare mental capacity Max has when driving. His communication with GP are not only much more extensive but also productive. He can process more information without being distracted from driving.

Comments are closed.