United States Grand Prix 2018: Race team radio
78 radio messages were recorded during race at the United States Grand Prix 2018, across 14 drivers. 77 of them have a transcript; the rest are audio only. Lewis HAMILTON had the most, with 19.
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 · 19 messages
- Sebastian VETTEL · Ferrari · 16 messages
- Max VERSTAPPEN · Red Bull · 13 messages
- Kimi RAIKKONEN · Ferrari · 13 messages
- Sergio PEREZ · Force India · 5 messages
- Fernando ALONSO · McLaren · 2 messages
- Carlos SAINZ · Renault · 2 messages
- Valtteri BOTTAS · Mercedes · 2 messages
- Lance STROLL · Williams · 1 message
- Nico HULKENBERG · Renault · 1 message
- Stoffel VANDOORNE · McLaren · 1 message
- Charles LECLERC · Sauber · 1 message
- Brendon HARTLEY · Toro Rosso · 1 message
- Pierre GASLY · Toro Rosso · 1 message
Every message, in the order it happened
Engineer: Initial balance Max. All okay. Understood. Let us know if you want a late change after 17-18.
Engineer: OK, Fernando, that was 37, 37, and can we have DRS out of turn 11, please?
Fernando ALONSO: Repeat?
Engineer: Can we test DRS on this lap, please?
Fernando ALONSO: I can't. It's only on the race.
Engineer: Do
Lewis HAMILTON: you attempt to come back up again a little bit more?
Engineer: Yeah so it's still on an upward trend, so yeah we're about 28.5, 29 now.
Engineer: The tailwind is now more of a pure tailwind down the back straight. So as you go from 11 to 12, it's more of a direct tailwind there.
Engineer: OK, so fire-wise, everybody's on super soft behind you. Ericsson is on soft. Let's start that.
Fernando ALONSO: Yeah, I don't know how much damage I have. These guys are impossible to race with. Impossible. Yeah, I see a lot of damage on the right side, so box this lap and you check.
Engineer: So Vettel has spun. He's down the order now. It's still running.
Engineer: We have Debris exit turn 9 so through 10.
Engineer: 8, Max, display 8. That's a nice pair slap, mate.
Engineer: So you're still on your target lap and we're happy for you to challenge Räikkönen.
Engineer: Sarah Raikkonen at 40.9, at gap 1.6
Engineer: It's
Kimi RAIKKONEN: my right rear, okay? Massive oversteer at second left corner. We
Engineer: double-check, Kimi.
Engineer: Check out rear tyre temperature is coming up. It's getting on the high side rear tyre temperature
Engineer: And we don't see anything obvious coming on our side on data is all fine.
Engineer: OK, we have a drive-through penalty, we'll serve that now. So, Fox is that drive-through penalty.
Engineer: just be mindful track limits turn 19
Engineer: Currently P9, racing Ocon in front.
Engineer: 7 to keep up. Okay copy.
Engineer: Debris on the back straight as a car stopped off to turn 11 there's yellow flags where you're coming into now yellows there now
Engineer: Tyres look on the edge, tyres look on the edge, but give us your comments and on Aerobalance.
Engineer: OK, so it will be box opposite Räikkönen, box opposite Räikkönen if we are still in VSC.
Audio only, no transcript available for this message.
Engineer: And virtual safety car, Kimi, virtual safety car, slow button on and stay positive for each mini sector.
Kimi RAIKKONEN: Any idea how far, how long it is? I
Engineer: will let you know.
Engineer: We think it's gonna be a long one I think they are removing Ricciardo's car It will be that quick I believe but stay focus and let you know
Engineer: Virtual safety car ending, max reverse off, virtual safety car ending, reverse off
Engineer: And Kimi most likely aiming it on his own two stops.
Engineer: Lewis is 3.7 behind, so don't hold him up.
Max VERSTAPPEN: Any concern about my engine or something?
Engineer: Negative
Engineer: Ok Nico, we're pulling half a second a lap on Ocon
Engineer: And Hamilton pitted under virtual, pitting Ukraine. He might go on two stops or struggle in the end.
Engineer: Tellers don't want to push hard, he's
Sergio PEREZ: holding me up a good half a second
Engineer: Understood understood just be careful with fronts be careful with fronts
Engineer: I'm
Kimi RAIKKONEN: a bit sorry, we
Engineer: need
Kimi RAIKKONEN: more funding.
Engineer: Understood, Kimi.
Kimi RAIKKONEN: Oh, actually not. It's okay.
Engineer: Understood.
Engineer: Good job Valtteri, so right canons lap times are now dropping off.
Engineer: Hamilton 40.0 on new prime and stop at 40.1
Kimi RAIKKONEN: I cannot hold him behind
Engineer: Understood Kimi
Engineer: It's only the middle sector to Bottas, should we imagine where that delta is?
Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah, we are missing some ponies there.
Engineer: Can I have another balance update please Max?
Max VERSTAPPEN: All fine, but I'm just struggling with the brakes, they are really not nice.
Engineer: Kimmel up 10-41-2, right behind him is Hamilton, 40.7, they are racing, rest up at 40.4.
Engineer: Keep it up at 42.3, and rest up at 40.9. Keep your head down, important phase.
Engineer: Box, can you make it box?
Engineer: And grab motor race and K2 on. Great job, Kimi, great job.
Engineer: Box opposite Bottas. Box opposite Bottas.
Engineer: You may have to edit, sir, we are... Yes, I will. Engine 3, Kimi, Engine 3, at the moment we are targeting Hamilton Base, is lapping 39.5, I will keep you updated.
Engineer: You will need to let Kimi by, Kimi will be 1.2 behind
Sebastian VETTEL: My briefings
Engineer: are
Sebastian VETTEL: done.
Engineer: Copy that, copy that.
Engineer: And box, Sebastian box for new prime.
Engineer: Stoffel, we've had three warnings for Turn 19, you need to stay on the track in Turn 19 or we'll be reported to the stewards.
Stoffel VANDOORNE: OK, copy.
Max VERSTAPPEN: Wait, my pedal went long in that corner. Brakes are really not good.
Engineer: Understood.
Engineer: The gradation seems low on the prime, emitter started off in a 38.8 and is now on a 39.1 after 16 laps.
Engineer: And box this lap Charles, box this lap. So Charles we will retire the car, box this lap, box box. Box this lap, box box.
Brendon HARTLEY: Okay, getting pretty close to the car in front, watch what's
Engineer: going
Brendon HARTLEY: to happen guys.
Engineer: It will happen, keep your head down, it will happen, keep your head down.
Engineer: And you have Strat Mode 3 available if you need it to get through traffic.
Lewis HAMILTON: It's
Engineer: a
Lewis HAMILTON: left rear abrasion, it's er, it's raining a lot at the rear, rear's running out.
Engineer: Copy.
Engineer: OK Lewis, can you give us feedback on the tyres and a balance check?
Lewis HAMILTON: Just waiting for more at
Engineer: the
Lewis HAMILTON: rear, must be blistering, we'll see how this lap is.
Engineer: OK, let's say box, box, box, box.
Engineer: So 19 laps to go Lewis, we just need everything now.
Engineer: Okay, info Hamilton suffered with severe blisters and he's pitting again. He will fall behind us
Engineer: And 12 seconds ahead to Räikkönen. How
Lewis HAMILTON: did it get to 12 seconds?
Engineer: Yeah Lewis who really suffered with the backmarker traffic, he's just been in free air, he's hitting those backmarkers now.
Engineer: And multifunction MiG-7, keep me when you can. Hamilton now is P4, he just boxed, we reckon he will catch us in the last three laps of the race.
Engineer: So you're on the same tyre as Räikkönen, his is a 16 laps older, Räikkönen was a 39.6, 39.6.
Engineer: Put
Kimi RAIKKONEN: our rest as a moment.
Engineer: And we do see some blisters or some Bottas we believe is trying to go to the end Bottas 3.6 in front
Engineer: OK Max, you can reduce liftoff by 15 metres into each of the braking zones please.
Engineer: It's
Lewis HAMILTON: done pretty quick.
Engineer: Okay, watch out track limit turn 19 we cannot afford anymore
Engineer: Definitely. I
Lewis HAMILTON: feel like we got the wrong tyre.
Engineer: Can go engine 1 till the end, engine 1 till the end
Max VERSTAPPEN: Did he have DRS last time?
Engineer: Negative
Engineer: Can use DRS
Engineer: Hamilton does not have the RS, X1 was another two tenths quicker than him there is a whole world of pain ahead, so an opportunity could be coming
Engineer: The
Lewis HAMILTON: engine turned down.
Engineer: Standby.
Engineer: We are safe with the temperature, you can push till the end, engine 1.
Engineer: He's got wide max, keep it clean.
Kimi RAIKKONEN: Okay, we're fed up with shopping to prove like
Engineer: Last lap, last lap. Hamilton is 16 in front. Hamilton P3.
Engineer: Grande Kimi! Grande Kimi! Well done! Well done my friend! Thank you! Thank
Kimi RAIKKONEN: you guys!
Engineer: Well done!
Engineer: Max, that's P2 mate. How about that? A
Max VERSTAPPEN: bit unexpected, starting 18th. Good race.
Engineer: Well done, Max. That was a very, very mature drive. Fantastic. Really, really well done. Great job. You did a mega job with those tyres, mate, to get them that far. Nobody else could do that today. Well, John, enjoy the podium in your cowboy suit.
Max VERSTAPPEN: I will.
Engineer: Yeah, Max, that is the longest stint of anyone on the Supers. 34 laps. Really, really excellent job looking after that tyre. Honestly, mate, can't commend you enough for that. Awesome.
Engineer: And P4, Sebastian, P4. And more to slow.
Sebastian VETTEL: Congrats to Kimi. Congrats to Kimi.
Engineer: Yeah, he's defending strongly at the end with West Ham and Hamilton.
Engineer: OK, so now you're 12, so now you're 12. Nice job, mate. P7, well done.
Carlos SAINZ: Yeah, congrats, guys, for good team result. This helps.
Engineer: Nice job, mate.
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