Belgian Grand Prix2018 · Race team radio

Fernando ALONSOCan we do the start on the place we did on the free practice or is it on the left side of the pit exit?

EngineerIt's on the left side of the pit exit

Sebastian VETTELAnd on to the grid.

EngineerEncode the car, copy to the grid.

EngineerOnly thing you could check is whether the steering is centered. I had the feeling it was a little bit right-hand side down. OK copy, we have a look.

EngineerAnd just a note, the throttle pedal is quite slippery, if someone can clean it with a brake cleaner or something. OK, copy that.

EngineerOkay Esteban, it's to the grid now, to the grid. Okay Esteban, it's to the grid now, to the grid.

EngineerOK, Stoffel, radio check turn 15.

Stoffel VANDOORNERadio's good.

EngineerCopy that and box this lap, Stoffel.

EngineerYeah, so yeah, but the balance is obviously quite on the nose I'm even tempted to take out another half a hole Yeah, well, I mean we just got we got a headwind the rear is sliding around quite a lot and I've already quite high on my diff settings so

EngineerSo it's now got 29 degrees on track temp, 2.9, so that's pretty much the same as Friday FP2. We expect it to cool another couple of degrees over the course of the race.

EngineerJust remember which direction that wind is, so as I said it's going to be head into 12 and tail out at 15, so think about how that's going to affect all your corners.

EngineerYeah, I

Kimi RAIKKONENhave a puncture, somebody hit me from the rear.

EngineerCopy, copy.

Kimi RAIKKONENYeah, my end plate is also broken. Looks like somebody hit me quite here, looks like.

EngineerAnd it's 2-0.

Kimi RAIKKONENYeah, everything is f***ing breaking down now with the tyre flapping.

EngineerSafety car, safety car, safety car. How does the car feel, Daniel?

Daniel RICCIARDOYeah, I've hit at the front so I'm pretty sure I got damage. OK, understood. I felt a hit on the entry to one. On the back? Yeah, then on the way out I hit Kimi from the front.

EngineerUnderstood. Yeah, there's a McLaren ploughed through everyone I think at the back. We're trying to see the car, see if we got any front wing damage.

Daniel RICCIARDOOK, looks like my rear wing's damaged. Yeah, it is.

EngineerOK, Daniel, safety car is going to come through the pit lane. Safety car is going to drive through the pit lane. OK,

Daniel RICCIARDOlet me know what you want me to do.

EngineerOK, Daniel, stay put for now. Just stay in the car for now, please. Yeah, Daniel, just sit tight for now, mate. We are looking at our aerobics. Obviously it's f***ed, but we're going to try and see if we can fix it.

Engineer15 seconds in front of you, safety car is in this lap, so you will catch up with the field, let's work those tyres a bit. Okay, so it'll be straight out and the tail car is about 15 seconds in front of you, safety car is in this lap, so you will catch up with the field, let's work those tyres a bit.

Daniel RICCIARDOOkay, so I join the rear of the pack? Correct.

EngineerSo this is the situation Kimi, where you have the damage is not structural, the structural part looks okay. What we see that we are losing downforce, we are losing downforce, but we are not concerned about the structural situation of the wing. Okay, how much we're losing, just to get some idea, be

Kimi RAIKKONENcareful or not.

Max VERSTAPPENOcon went off the track Copy

EngineerI'm Joe Pax.

Kimi RAIKKONENAnd the car doesn't go straight even on the straight line. Understood. I have no grip on the tires.

Kimi RAIKKONENYeah, it's impossible to drive.

EngineerIf you want, we can try to box them and we drop them onto England.

Kimi RAIKKONENYeah, something is... I cannot go anywhere like this, because I'm gonna just run off in a second.

EngineerYeah,

Kimi RAIKKONENbut put down the tires also, or something that is gripped. It's...

EngineerNo, Kimi, we go, we go. Go, go, go, go, go! But

Kimi RAIKKONENmy DRS is open on the straight. Even I don't push it, no wonder I have zero... It's all the time open.

EngineerOkay, good stuff. Now settle into your own rhythm. Gap ahead, Hamilton, 9 seconds. Last lap, 49.1. Kimi has retired. Bottas.

EngineerThe tailwind, you've got a 20 kph tailwind into 10.

EngineerOK Max, how's the balance? Yeah, it's actually quite nice to drive, it's all under control. Understood.

Engineerand Verstappen 11 seconds behind he's doing 49.2

EngineerSo you've got a really good chance here Valtteri. So Raikkonen out, Ricciardo two laps down. So Verstappen is P3 at the moment.

EngineerOk, compared to Gasly we are still losing turn 1 and 12.13

EngineerOk Stof, you're driving well. Sirotkin is 10 seconds up the road in P11, his pace is very similar to yours. Both him and all the cars in between you will have to pit again. If you can find a couple of tents and keep them in the pit window then this can look interesting.

EngineerOk, let's be clever there. Let's use both us to try to pass Gasly.

EngineerThe left rear has got a single blister line it looks like but grip still seems good.

EngineerThese are really good laps. You're doing a really good job managing the tires Okay

EngineerAnd Lewis, let us know about the tyres when you can Tyres are good Copy

Max VERSTAPPENJust so as to protect the rear tyres.

EngineerYep, understood. Last lap, Sebastian, 48.6, 48.6, Hamilton 48.7, you were a 48.8.

EngineerAnd box, revise the box. Push now.

Valtteri BOTTASWhich lap are we on now?

EngineerCurrently on lap 24, lap 24.

EngineerCheck I use everything from the tyre, use everything from the tyre.

EngineerFastest lap of the race, nice job, keep it there, Hamilton 46.8

EngineerAnd Lewis tyre wear isn't an issue, it's only the blistering that's causing us problems.

EngineerThey are doing a good job on tyres, they are doing a good job.

Engineer14 laps to go, 14, Hamilton lap time 47.0, 5 seconds behind.

EngineerOk, we are going to box this lap to retire, box this lap, keep up the pace on the way in, it's quite busy behind you so we don't want to get in anyone's way, keep up the pace on the way in, we are going to box to retire this lap.

Daniel RICCIARDOWhat a story.

EngineerAnd this we expect to be hitting back marker traffic in about six laps. You've got 13 laps remaining

EngineerSo Lewis just confirming, so main loss to Vettel, breaking last corner and speed between 18-19.

EngineerStoffel, orange E7 is a high level of engine braking, is that what you want?

Stoffel VANDOORNENo, it's ok, I'm just playing with it, playing with it!

Sergio PEREZI'm giving everything, man.

EngineerCheco, understood, understood. The tyre is okay for 10 laps like that.

EngineerSo Valtteri just starting to hit that left rear limit, still needs some management because it could be games of play at the end of the race and you'll still catch Perez.

EngineerYour pace is better than Force India now. Come on, keep on doing that. Your pace is better than Force India now. Come on, keep on doing that. Your pace is better than Force India now. Come on, keep on doing that.

EngineerCheco, last lap, Bottas, same pace as you, same pace as you, last lap.

Carlos SAINZI'm starting to feel some shattering at the front tires in the corner, like if they are cooling down.

EngineerOK, copy that.

EngineerCheck out race run switch race. It's better for energy race

EngineerTyres are good to the end. Sights ahead are starting to struggle.

EngineerOkay, dude, you're doing a really good job.

EngineerA bit blown with brakes, cool the brakes if you can.

EngineerAnd P1 Sebastian, P1, fair and square, bravissimo. I'm Oslo, grande, grazie ragazzi, bella gara. Go in the pit lane, wrong direction. Red light, smells danger, smells danger. Grazie ragazzi, grazie. Thank you, good efforts all weekend, well done, getting the package ready. Well done motorists, grazie. Grazie Sebastian, bellissima gara, martello. Grande, grande ragazzi.

EngineerWell done, Checo. Well driven and good pace.

Sergio PEREZGood weekend, guys. Nice comeback. Well done to everyone. Amazing job. Nice start of a new era.

EngineerWell done Esteban. So Vettel 1, Hamilton 2, Verstappen 3, Bottas 4, Perez 5th, yourself 6, Grosjean, Magnussen, Gasly and Eriksen.

Esteban OCONOk, well done guys. Great job all weekend. And let's continue like this.