Turkish Grand Prix 2020: Qualifying team radio
109 radio messages were recorded during qualifying at the Turkish Grand Prix 2020, across 19 drivers. Carlos SAINZ 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
- Carlos SAINZ · McLaren · 14 messages
- Max VERSTAPPEN · Red Bull · 12 messages
- Valtteri BOTTAS · Mercedes · 7 messages
- Lando NORRIS · McLaren · 7 messages
- Kimi RAIKKONEN · Alfa Romeo · 7 messages
- Daniil KVYAT · AlphaTauri · 6 messages
- Sebastian VETTEL · Ferrari · 6 messages
- Charles LECLERC · Ferrari · 6 messages
- Esteban OCON · Renault · 6 messages
- Lance STROLL · Racing Point · 6 messages
- Alexander ALBON · Red Bull · 5 messages
- Sergio PEREZ · Racing Point · 5 messages
- Lewis HAMILTON · Mercedes · 4 messages
- Daniel RICCIARDO · Renault · 4 messages
- Kevin MAGNUSSEN · Haas · 4 messages
- George RUSSELL · Williams · 3 messages
- Antonio GIOVINAZZI · Alfa Romeo · 3 messages
- Romain GROSJEAN · Haas · 2 messages
- Nicholas LATIFI · Williams · 2 messages
Every message, in the order it happened
Engineer: A few cars queuing at the end.
Engineer: Tire on extreme. The rotary tire on extreme.
Engineer: It's getting dark.
Lewis HAMILTON: Power.
Engineer: It's about a 50-50 split at the moment between wet and inter.
Engineer: OK, and for info, we've got some rain approaching around turn 8 in the next few laps, so... OK. OK, so Verstappen really struggling on Indus ahead.
Max VERSTAPPEN: I don't know
Max VERSTAPPEN: I've no grip. Head to the McLaren.
Engineer: OK, it's a bit carnage here mate, the four seniors overtaking by off the track Darknose 3 on the right tyre Possibly more rain could be coming but not immediately we could try Yeah box, box, box, box, box Copy that, box Romain
Carlos SAINZ: Cannot keep it on track, nearly.
Engineer: What do you think to these tyres? Any better? Question? A
Alexander ALBON: little bit.
Carlos SAINZ: Why are you still looking at Räikkönen?
Engineer: Yeah, I'm looking at Räikkönen, but on balance, Carlos, the Inter still looks good.
Engineer: So far Inter looks best, Inter looks best.
Daniil KVYAT: We are on the right side, but I'm stuck behind them
Engineer: So rain in five
Carlos SAINZ: Full wet, I think. Just to try.
Carlos SAINZ: Starting to rain a lot.
Engineer: Carlos, so far it's very mixed between the two compounds.
Max VERSTAPPEN: I'm raining heavily now, can't take my hands off the wheel
Lando NORRIS: I think a new inter, I'm pretty sure it's going to be better, but I don't know what the guys on the wets are doing.
Engineer: I'm losing too much grip, and it's raining more, so I think I should box. Understood, we're trying to work out which tyre to box for. Yeah, it's raining super hard on the back, so I'm going to say wet. Okay, understood, good message. Yeah, it has to be wet. It's raining too much, I'm aquaplaning. Yeah, it's cool.
Engineer: So Walter, let me know if it's raining too much.
Valtteri BOTTAS: Yeah, it's getting too much.
Engineer: So box, box, box. We are P2. The previous lap has been disallowed.
Engineer: It's
Lewis HAMILTON: raining a crazy amount now.
Engineer: It's raining
Carlos SAINZ: a lot now, think it should be red flag. Raining in pit lane. Yeah, red flag, come on, it's too much rain now.
Sebastian VETTEL: More than aquaplaning man, surface and aquaplaning
Sebastian VETTEL: They should red flag is really because
Engineer: it's not drivable
Daniil KVYAT: Raining a lot more now, heavy heavy rain, need two box for a new set but I think we're just gonna go slower
Engineer: OK, George, you're boxing to stop, confirm. Potentially four laps remaining and the rain is coming. There's more rain coming. Copy.
Engineer: Ok Niki, try to do some hard stop, hard stop, it's red flag and 7 minutes left.
Engineer: And box now, box.
Charles LECLERC: Anybody crash or is it because of the conditions?
Engineer: That's because of the conditions.
Charles LECLERC: I see nothing with the visor, nothing at all, so I don't know if it's the same for everyone, but we need to try and do something. I can't see anything.
Sebastian VETTEL: It's chucking down at five and six like crazy They should red flag is really because it's undriveable. It's more than aquaplaning man
Sebastian VETTEL: I need the other helmet as well, please.
Engineer: Understood.
Kevin MAGNUSSEN: We need to do something for my visor for the next run, it's completely fogged. Okay understood, we'll come up with a solution.
Engineer: Red flag, box if you can. Red flag, box if you can.
Max VERSTAPPEN: This is so unresponsive, it's unbelievable.
Daniil KVYAT: I can't see a f***ing...
Kevin MAGNUSSEN: We need to do something for my visor for the next run, it's
Engineer: completely fogged. OK, understood, we'll come up with a solution, Thomas is working on it, rain X or something, yeah, we'll get something, understood. On
Kevin MAGNUSSEN: the inside, it's on the inside.
Engineer: Red flag, red flag, OK, so just come in slow, we'll get your visor sorted, we'll get you another set of tires ready. I don't think that, the conditions are getting worse, is that correct? Very, very correct. Very much so, yeah, OK, so just get back in here safely, all OK, you're still P7, you did great. Thank you.
Esteban OCON: Yeah, way too much rain now.
Engineer: AFIRM, AFIRM, you're in absolute best shape possible at the moment Esteban, can't get better than P1.
Kevin MAGNUSSEN: Can't see.
Engineer: Have another helmet ready, just... Yeah, we'll have another helmet, and we'll have Ray next on that visor. Thomas is on it, and Jeff's on it. Okay, so it's a red flag, Kevin. There's seven minutes remaining, so we have plenty of time to sort these things out, and the conditions are absolutely terrible. So right now you're P7. Just bring it home, and we'll be okay here.
Engineer: Would you like to go one count only?
Kimi RAIKKONEN: Yes, yes, but let's go.
Engineer: okay DRS disabled DRS disabled
Engineer: OK, we don't see any contact, all good.
Engineer: Pressures are good, temperatures will start to come up a bit, but pressures are nice.
Engineer: and charge button off, good warm-up on the brakes
Engineer: So far all cars who've left are on full wet. Carlos, car ahead is Latifi. His best lap earlier was a 2.21, who's quite a bit slower than the others. If you can leave a gap, you should.
Engineer: Lando, most of the track looks similar to the start of Q1. Cars have been going off, for example Leclerc Turn 1.
Romain GROSJEAN: I'm stuck. I'm stuck. I'm stuck
Engineer: Red flag red flag box this lap watch your Delta
Engineer: Red flag, red flag, follow the delta and box this lap Ok, so the good news is nobody improved, we are still P10 but there is still 3 minutes 30 into the session The red flag is for Romain, this time he's stuck in a gravel trap turn 1
Max VERSTAPPEN: Which tyres are warmer, this set or the other one?
Engineer: Currently this set will be warmer exiting the pit lane.
Engineer: Okay, pit exit's just gone green now. You can make a gap in the pit lane if you need.
Engineer: So looking at Verstappen data turn one was slower all the rest was faster
Engineer: Hamilton isn't under pressure so he shouldn't need to rush and push you too much. The lead car Verstappen's just out of 10.10
Carlos SAINZ: Yeah, these turrets have less grip, I think.
Engineer: Temperatures are okay, should be okay, Carlos.
Daniil KVYAT: I can't see a f***, man.
Daniel RICCIARDO: I don't have a reference, do I stay out?
Engineer: Stay out, finish lap.
Engineer: Okay George, it's checkered flag, that's P17, P17, P18
Daniil KVYAT: I can't see a f***ing man.
George RUSSELL: Just couldn't get the tyres working, just a rear axle, absolutely nothing from exiting the box
Kevin MAGNUSSEN: How the hell can people improve when it's yellow flexor all the way around? I don't know Kev, I don't know. We'll have to look at it. Yeah, certainly.
Engineer: Yep, understood.
Engineer: I'm off.
Nicholas LATIFI: Stuck. Man, there's nothing I can do. Like, the grip is, uh, nothing.
Sergio PEREZ: Oh, well, that was close.
Engineer: Of course there are double yellow flags in turn 8, double yellow flags in turn 8, there's a crane moving Latifi's car out the way.
Kimi RAIKKONEN: Why did I start the system? I have no idea.
Engineer: Carlos only the McLarens are on inter only McLaren on inter. Let's see how we get on
Engineer: Crane is off track, but take care double yellows.
Carlos SAINZ: That's very dangerous
Engineer: Maybe we'll go for Inter. Repeat message.
Antonio GIOVINAZZI: Maybe we'll go for Inter for the next lap.
Engineer: Copy Antonio, I'll let you know.
Engineer: Lando, how does it feel for you?
Lando NORRIS: Not
Engineer: as good as I was hoping. I think the wets could be good but it will be coming towards medium. Yep, understood. Let's keep going please, keep going. Okay Lando, the wet is slower, the wet is slower. We had our lap time deleted for turn 6. Keep going on this.
Lando NORRIS: Right, maybe rear's going off a bit now.
Engineer: Yeah, understood. We think we should box this lap. We think we should box this lap. OK, confirm. Keep pushing. If we box now, we can do two time-laps on either an inter or a wet. We think probably wet.
Lando NORRIS: Right, is the wet better?
Engineer: So extreme compounding is the faster tires and we'll have three more time laps, three more time laps
Carlos SAINZ: I'm not great, but I don't know why I don't know why
Engineer: OK Max, this is the right time, McLaren are bailing out of the inter. That was P1, by 2 seconds at the moment.
Max VERSTAPPEN: I can go a bit faster, but I have this car in front.
Engineer: There's still time for 3 push laps, 3 push laps on this set. Potentially 4. See if you can get yourself ahead.
Max VERSTAPPEN: He lets me by.
Engineer: That was good of him.
Daniel RICCIARDO: It's just hard with the fronts, with locking, that's where I'm struggling the most.
Engineer: OK understood, let's keep going at this pace please, we can get an extra lap out of this.
Engineer: At the moment we are P13, P10 lap time 56.9
Engineer: OK Lando, clear your head, there'll be time for one more time-lapse.
Max VERSTAPPEN: What's
Engineer: the
Max VERSTAPPEN: margin for one lap?
Engineer: It's not a lot we need to get going, but you are still P1 by two seconds. The cutoff is a 56
Engineer: So we are in Q3, Antonio, good job, good job.
Antonio GIOVINAZZI: Yes, guys, yes!
Engineer: Ok, we are in, we are in, both cars... Negative.
Kimi RAIKKONEN: Yes, affirm. Yeah, but I cannot go that fast, I'm going full speed, so...
Engineer: Copy,
Kimi RAIKKONEN: copy. Do
Engineer: your best then. Leave it. Ok, P8, P8. Good.
Kimi RAIKKONEN: Yeah, but that split time must be wrong. Don't worry about that. I'm catching the people in the front there now. Ok.
Engineer: Don't worry about that.
Engineer: P1, last time. P1, 50.3. We
Charles LECLERC: are 6 seconds off.
Sergio PEREZ: Yeah, he's not moving Man, what's this? He f***ed my lap It'd be good if you can get past him He's not letting me by man
Engineer: Okay, I couldn't get the tires to work. Plenty of chattering in front. Didn't really get any better or worse throughout the run. The track improved more than we did. I think Inter's at the end maybe would have been faster, but it was probably right to do what everybody did. Did everybody set their times on extremes? Yeah, they were all on extremes. Just the two McLaren went out with Inter and Peter, or extreme at the end. And Sainz did 54.4. It's P13 and Norris 54.9. It's P11. Okay, sorry there but that was really difficult. Yeah. Main issue I think was the front chattering, just the front's not waking up. Uh, And then Reyes on traction. Just full grip overall to be honest.
Sergio PEREZ: And if that's not blocking, I don't know what it is blocking then, in qualifying. Yeah, copy checker, that's totally messed us up.
Engineer: It's on investigation, it is investigated. It's under investigation.
Max VERSTAPPEN: Just keep me up to date throughout the session. I don't think people will form to an inter, but just in case.
Engineer: So Esteban ahead four seconds on inter everybody else is on X's
Engineer: Out of eight cars, everyone's on extremes, just Ocon on inters, everyone else on extremes.
Engineer: We do have Perez on inters as well, so we're right on the crossover between the two.
Engineer: So checker we think the inter is going to come better by the end so we do think this is the right thing
Alexander ALBON: The shift from second to third is terrible. It's like it's up there. It's going the other way
Esteban OCON: If we see they are not coming up in time, it is useless to continue.
Engineer: They are coming up slowly Esteban.
Engineer: So we're thinking enters.
Engineer: For info Perez first sector on inters looks good. What do you think?
Alexander ALBON: Yeah, okay, let's try it
Engineer: and it'd be menu wet position three or box for the inter so box box is
Lewis HAMILTON: it much quicker three
Engineer: tenths quicker already than a Verstappen
Engineer: Go
Max VERSTAPPEN: I hope it's gonna work
Engineer: We'll be fitting intermediates, be fitting intermediates.
Lance STROLL: Copy. It will be a pit stop, it
Engineer: will be a full pit stop and go.
Engineer: Okay Esteban, we're going to box this lap for full wets, we're going to box this lap for full wets.
Esteban OCON: Copy, is it working for the others or no?
Engineer: They're working for others, but not for us, so we have to do what's right for us It's a mixture
Engineer: And SOC 1, SOC 1.
Daniel RICCIARDO: Do you want that now?
Engineer: Now, yeah, now. SOC 1.
Max VERSTAPPEN: I have no f***ing grip on this f***ing tire.
Engineer: So check it we just need good clean laps from here and we'll be good good clean laps
Engineer: so you you'll get one lap at the end of this one you'll get one lap at the end of this one this one could still be quicker so keep pushing for temp keep pushing for temp
Kimi RAIKKONEN: No, I'm circling to get to the first gear, OK? OK, I'll leave you.
Engineer: Take the time, if you're ever coming behind. I
Kimi RAIKKONEN: cannot see anything from the mirror, so you have to tell me.
Engineer: You
Kimi RAIKKONEN: have 20 seconds behind.
Engineer: What position? Standby, standby, currently P1.
Lance STROLL: Oi!
Engineer: Delta negative, delta negative, concentrate, delta negative.
Engineer: That's it. P1. P1. Yes, boys!
Engineer: What
Max VERSTAPPEN: a useless tire for us.
Antonio GIOVINAZZI: Yeah, sorry guys, we tried that, please.
Engineer: Copy Antonio, good job. Anyway, good job.
Antonio GIOVINAZZI: Kimi with the wet.
Engineer: Kimi, yes, he's on the wet, he's coming, P7.
Valtteri BOTTAS: I couldn't get the tyres to work.
Engineer: Now P1, Verstappen is about to finish his lap. So Stroll on pole, intermediates, 47.7, and then Verstappen and Perez, both intermediates, Ricciardo on the X P4.
Engineer: Oh, P8 Kimi, P8, that's not bad at all, not bad at all, excellent, well done. So, Stroll is in pole, followed by Verstappen and Perez.
Engineer: Tyre's decision wasn't the right one.
Esteban OCON: Copy, where are we?
Engineer: Currently P6, Esteban, currently P6.
Esteban OCON: Ah, we messed up, guys, it's
Engineer: a
Esteban OCON: shame, it's a shame, but it's still good.
Engineer: Yeah, we're probably going to get Hamilton passing us, I think. So we've got Stroll on pole on Inters, then Perez on Inters, then Verstappen on Inters. We're going to be P7, Esteban, we're going to be P7, P7. Copy. So yeah, there's Inters in the first three, then Daniels P4 with Albon on Wets, then Hamilton on Inters, then yourself on Wets, Riken and Wets, and then two cars on Inters at the end. Obviously, if the Inters did work, they were much quicker, but if they don't work, you're stuck. Could have been better, but still, pretty good, Esteban, very good job from you there. You did that lap when it counted, so that's what matters, got ourselves out of a sticky situation, so good job, mate. Yeah, I just wonder what we could have done with the proper condition. Yeah, well, I think if we'd stopped one lap earlier off the Inters, that would have given you two laps on the, you know... No, but it was not worth, I think, trying. I think we should have just... Yeah, OK. Obviously, with the cars that have gone much quicker, you can see why we went that way, but OK. Yeah.
Lance STROLL: Brad, I want to hear you say it, mate! That's pole position! I
Engineer: hear
Lance STROLL: you say it!
Engineer: That's pole position, Lawrence. Pole position. Let's go!
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