Bahrain Grand Prix 2018: Race team radio
68 radio messages were recorded during race at the Bahrain Grand Prix 2018, across 16 drivers. 67 of them have a transcript; the rest are audio only. Lewis HAMILTON had the most, with 14.
These are transcripts of real team radio audio, produced by speech recognition and presented as an archive rather than as edited prose. Radio is clipped and noisy, so wording can be imperfect. Each message is attributed to the driver or their engineer, and the original audio is playable in the archive.
Who was on the radio
- Lewis HAMILTON · Mercedes · 14 messages
- Kevin MAGNUSSEN · Haas · 9 messages
- Fernando ALONSO · McLaren · 8 messages
- Brendon HARTLEY · Toro Rosso · 5 messages
- Sebastian VETTEL · Ferrari · 4 messages
- Max VERSTAPPEN · Red Bull · 4 messages
- Stoffel VANDOORNE · McLaren · 4 messages
- Valtteri BOTTAS · Mercedes · 4 messages
- Nico HULKENBERG · Renault · 3 messages
- Esteban OCON · Force India · 3 messages
- Marcus ERICSSON · Sauber · 2 messages
- Lance STROLL · Williams · 2 messages
- Romain GROSJEAN · Haas · 2 messages
- Kimi RAIKKONEN · Ferrari · 2 messages
- Sergio PEREZ · Force India · 1 message
- Pierre GASLY · Toro Rosso · 1 message
Every message, in the order it happened
Engineer: It is working out really well. Yeah, don't worry. Just go after Magnussen.
Engineer: It's a bit crowded down there, so just try to create a bit of space.
Engineer: reasonably busy in the pit lane
Engineer: See you on the grid. Brandon, you go to the back of the grid, lift off before turn 14 to cool the car, lift off before turn 14 to cool the car, go to the grid now. Tailwind a bit stronger than yesterday, tailwind in turn 6. See you on the grid.
Lance STROLL: Yeah, the drinks is not working set 13, okay
Engineer: No car issues all okay tiny bit of pulling in the first lap under braking, but I guess it was warm up
Engineer: OK, so we came down four turns after the first lap to the grid, but we're going back up two turns now. So for the wing in the garage, we want to be down two turns. Down two turns overall. And tell them it's Mark. Go ahead, Mark. Confirm that the spare wing is set for soft tyres. The spare wing is currently set for soft tyres. Copy that. Thank you.
Engineer: Just to give you information, the drink system is not working I've definitely checked it while you were sending out the message, it's all fine for now, it's not a big deal It's just coming out a little bit, I can live with it, but it's not a deal It's fine for now, for today, we can get a little bit of water
Engineer: Valtteri he's staying with his balance cars are very similar at the moment so if we go plus half we'll just be a little bit more aero balanced than him how
Lewis HAMILTON: is the temperature temperatures
Engineer: 33 degrees so same as FP2 yeah imagine it may cool another degree or two from here but it's not gonna be a huge amount
Max VERSTAPPEN: Army thanks sir, thanks sir
Engineer: Copy Max, copy
Brendon HARTLEY: Please check for the left corner for David.
Engineer: We can see a small aero balance rearward, but no problem with load.
Max VERSTAPPEN: I think I lost my life mate
Engineer: Okay, try and limp it home. I'll get back to you
Max VERSTAPPEN: Oh mate, I'm in force neutral
Engineer: shift up shift up
Sergio PEREZ: I got some damage you
Engineer: see any damage to the car it
Sergio PEREZ: just sees that is rolling too much I got hit massively I got a big hit okay then it might just be there the suspension
Kevin MAGNUSSEN: You need to check if I have front wing diamonds.
Engineer: So far nothing reported. We will visually check on the straight.
Kevin MAGNUSSEN: I'm a lot faster than Gasly. Just so you know, I think I'm a lot faster than Gasly. Yep, yep, okay,
Engineer: we will report. Probably understood, probably is not used to this procedure.
Kevin MAGNUSSEN: I mean... face-wise, on track, not the virtual safety car.
Audio only, no transcript available for this message.
Engineer: Max can we retire the car please, retire the car, okay so wherever you can see a gap on the inside down to turn 14 on the right hand side please retire the car you found a gap ignition P1 at 10 seconds then P0 please Max
Engineer: Nice work Lewis, so next car Magnussen, one second.
Engineer: You're losing quite a lot of time in entry of corner four entry of a corner four.
Kevin MAGNUSSEN: It's like I lost the tires a little bit
Engineer: Okay, understood copy
Engineer: Okay Fernando, apparently Hülkenberg is struggling with his battery.
Engineer: So temperatures are all okay.
Esteban OCON: Yeah, I'm sliding all over the place.
Engineer: Use torque 8 or 9. Use torque 9.
Engineer: And Fernando Gasly is three cars ahead of you, he potentially has a brake problem.
Fernando ALONSO: OK, I have a look for a pace.
Engineer: Understood Fernando.
Engineer: 2 tenths faster than Vettel, that gap is at 14.8
Engineer: Stoffel, how does that backup look on Perez? Perez on backup.
Stoffel VANDOORNE: Not quick enough for me.
Engineer: Copy. Let's overtake him then. That's what I'm talking about Stoffel, good job.
Engineer: So we need all you've got all you've got
Engineer: Come on boy, give everything, Gasly in the pit, Hülkenberg as well.
Engineer: It's impossible to get close to the counter from WT, it's just going straight away. Understood, understood.
Engineer: He stopped earlier with a puncture.
Engineer: Okay, this is lap 18, this is lap 18, we are P11 but net 8, Hartley, Ericsson, Grosjean yet to stop.
Engineer: Turn 1 better that time, could be a little bit slower for a better exit, Turn 2. It's all going to start happening now Lewis, remember we are sticking to Plan A.
Engineer: Push, Brendan, push, push.
Engineer: Okay Fernando, the three cars ahead we all expect to stop again, we all expect to stop again onto a used option so remember what tyre we've got left
Engineer: And we are currently P7, P7, so you're doing a cracking job mate, keep pushing.
Engineer: Cristof, Fernando last lap was a 1.36.7, main time loss is turn 8 and turn 9.10, he's one gear down in turn 8.
Engineer: So you're doing a good job, but just remember we are on plan B
Engineer: How many laps did you say that left? Yeah, stand by. It's going to be around 10 to 12 laps, Nico.
Engineer: And Bottas in front, there are good chances going to the end. So we need to overtake him.
Engineer: So Vettel at 25.9 ahead, he is at 2 seconds outside our pit window, remember you asked, plan A.
Engineer: Fernando Sainz, who was behind us, has pitted again. This might start the second wave.
Fernando ALONSO: Too early.
Kevin MAGNUSSEN: What the f*** is he doing? Guys, come on.
Engineer: Wheelbox Romana, we slap. Let's get out of the f***ing
Kevin MAGNUSSEN: way!
Kevin MAGNUSSEN: Well done guys
Engineer: And Fernando, confirm they're both doing option, option, prime, two stops.
Fernando ALONSO: How many laps till the end now?
Engineer: And there are 29 to go, 29. I
Fernando ALONSO: think they will struggle with the prime.
Engineer: Understood, Fernando.
Engineer: The gap as it is, he'll come out right behind me, Greg. AFIRM, he's currently at 1.3 unsafe to you, 1.3 unsafe. OK, Lucy, just keep targeting those low 34s, low 34s. So prediction is to have Bethel close up towards the end of the race. Still need a little bit of life left in the tyres there, but you're doing a good job.
Engineer: Currently P10 Brandon, currently P10, you're doing a very good job, we need to make this work.
Engineer: So Räikkönen had a problem at the pit stop, so out of contention for the moment. So Räikkönen are retired, Räikkönen has retired.
Engineer: Stop Kimi, stop, stop, stop the car Kimi, stop the car.
Engineer: We are on plan D, plan D, Kimi has retired for an issue.
Engineer: yes good job Stoff good job that's P9 right there's Ericsson up ahead we're after him now
Lewis HAMILTON: I'm just trying to understand what I've got to do.
Engineer: Pick
Lewis HAMILTON: up pace or not.
Engineer: OK, Lewis, so you need to target low 34s, low 34s. If you can let us know your tag mode to achieve those lap times, we can make a decision. I
Lewis HAMILTON: get that I've got to do a low 34, buddy, but I'm doing a foot 34.3. Is that enough?
Engineer: Yeah, copy that, Lewis. So you're doing the target lap time. You just need to know how hard you're pushing.
Lewis HAMILTON: Driving to target.
Engineer: All right, Lewis, it's James. The main thing at the moment is Vettel may not stop. Just go to tag two. Tell me what that time ends up being and we'll see where we get to.
Lewis HAMILTON: Like I said, I'm driving to target. That means I am in tag two.
Engineer: So, good job. Let's just start closing Vettel down.
Engineer: let me know if i'm on time sorry luis i could just hear wind noise just hear wind noise
Lewis HAMILTON: I feel that you guys aren't really giving much of a picture, I don't know what the ****
Engineer: I'm
Lewis HAMILTON: doing out
Engineer: here,
Lewis HAMILTON: just...
Engineer: OK, Lewis, the target is 34.0, we need to get that pace up, otherwise we will not make the catch. Just focus on getting through these cars ahead, losing as little time as possible.
Engineer: Mode T4, box now, how much flap off?
Romain GROSJEAN: 1% But we're gonna be nowhere mate, we're gonna be nowhere
Engineer: Understood, we'll just go out and feel it Got a new tyre Left hand side barge board was underneath the car and left hand side thallus
Engineer: Ok Stoffel, the car behind is Bottas, you will get blue flags soon, when you do we want to try and follow Bottas through Ericsson. Ericsson really struggling with tyres when he gets overtaken.
Engineer: Come on get me blue flag
Engineer: So just keep your head down. I don't know if Vettel's going to fall off of that tyre curve. He's 30 laps on that soft tyre now.
Engineer: We are very happy with the tires, we need 8 quality laps.
Engineer: These guys
Lewis HAMILTON: are getting blue flags.
Engineer: AFL Blues, they should be getting them.
Kevin MAGNUSSEN: I have a lot of vibration on my left front and I haven't flat spotted so it's from the suspension.
Fernando ALONSO: Worries Vettel because maybe he's interested to fall behind him in the last lap.
Engineer: Yes Fernando I'm thinking the same thing but let's not do it yet, don't do it yet, get past Hülkenberg first.
Engineer: You can do this Valtryx for four laps remaining when you need it go strap four will give you the max overtake but not until you need it
Engineer: That's because the number of laps is reducing fast, so it gets more and more critical as the race goes on. That is the problem.
Engineer: And Fernando eight tenths again, eight tenths again. We'll get one more go at this. Don't overdrive it. Let it happen.
Engineer: So gap to the cars ahead seven and a half seconds they are battling
Engineer: I
Sebastian VETTEL: tell you, these tires were done, they were done for the last 10 laps. Grazie ragazzi, mamma mia, mamma mia, grazie, grazie davvero.
Engineer: What a race, numero uno, numero uno. Grande Seb, grande battaglia, bravissimo. Grazie, grazie anche a casa. One of the guys, he got injured, so if you hear that on the podium, during the pit stop of Kimi, and I sent one of the mechanics up to the podium. Motor safety car, when you can, motor safety car, was Chiga. But
Sebastian VETTEL: is he okay? Yeah, he's okay.
Engineer: P4! P4! Fantastic! This is amazing! Very good!
Pierre GASLY: Unbelievable! Unbelievable! Congrats guys! Grazie mille a tutti! Fantastic job! Incredible! Incredible!
Engineer: Thank you so much! Very good job! Very good job! Thank
Pierre GASLY: you guys! Now we can fight! Fantastic guys! Thank you so much!
Engineer: OK, nice strike, nice strike. I've tried everything.
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