Bahrain Grand Prix 2021: Qualifying team radio
58 radio messages were recorded during qualifying at the Bahrain Grand Prix 2021, across 18 drivers. Max VERSTAPPEN had the most, with 6.
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
- Max VERSTAPPEN · Red Bull · 6 messages
- Nikita MAZEPIN · Haas · 5 messages
- Carlos SAINZ · Ferrari · 5 messages
- Pierre GASLY · AlphaTauri · 5 messages
- Lando NORRIS · McLaren · 5 messages
- Fernando ALONSO · Alpine · 4 messages
- Nicholas LATIFI · Williams · 3 messages
- Sebastian VETTEL · Aston Martin · 3 messages
- Daniel RICCIARDO · McLaren · 3 messages
- Lance STROLL · Aston Martin · 3 messages
- Lewis HAMILTON · Mercedes · 3 messages
- George RUSSELL · Williams · 2 messages
- Mick SCHUMACHER · Haas · 2 messages
- Yuki TSUNODA · AlphaTauri · 2 messages
- Esteban OCON · Alpine · 2 messages
- Sergio PEREZ · Red Bull · 2 messages
- Valtteri BOTTAS · Mercedes · 2 messages
- Charles LECLERC · Ferrari · 1 message
Every message, in the order it happened
Engineer: So stop short of the red light.
George RUSSELL: Is the rear right correct?
Engineer: A firm rear right is good. We've lost the rear left.
Engineer: Are you
Nicholas LATIFI: on hot stop 10-9-1? Yeah, my rears aren't coming up as easy as we thought, so I'm going to push harder.
Engineer: Okay, so tires rear left looks pretty good getting close front's pretty good as well rear right come back as well that looks good We could build a bit of brake temp build brake temp where you can wind wise still headwind into one So watch exit four and entry 11 on the fast lap
Engineer: Watch for mezzanine yellow there yellow you have to do a lift keep pushing finish the lap keep pushing and finish the lap
Engineer: Press in button press in button and box now make box now Okay, and keep pushing this in lap. You need to be negative on your Delta time. Keep pushing on the in lap How is the balance? How is the understeer level?
Mick SCHUMACHER: It was okay.
Engineer: Okay understood any changes
Mick SCHUMACHER: For
Engineer: now no, it feels very good. Okay understood
Nikita MAZEPIN: Yeah, lost the Riaz there.
Engineer: Okay, until the spin how was balance in high speed?
Nikita MAZEPIN: OS one acceptable Needed that currently so no, okay. We will run
Max VERSTAPPEN: How many cars still need to start a lap?
Engineer: Most cars, so you've got three behind you on an out lap.
Engineer: That was a good lap, that was a good lap. Sector 1, Alfa 10s quicker than George. Sector 2, Alfa 10s quicker, we just lost 300 in sector 3.
Nicholas LATIFI: Everybody's in sync with you. I'm B rating a lot, was B rating a lot.
Engineer: Copy, copy, understood. We will have a look at that for next run.
Max VERSTAPPEN: You have to check my floor, I went a bit wide out of turn 2 through turn 3.
Engineer: Feedback on flap, please Make sure you respect the minimum time, stay negative So AFIRM, no flap adjust, no flap adjust, you're sure?
Nicholas LATIFI: Yeah
Engineer: If you can make the in-lap a bit quicker, that'd be great for us
Nicholas LATIFI: So I don't have to pay too much attention to the Delta?
Engineer: Just have to be quick enough, faster is better for the Delta, remember you have to stay negative, quicker
Yuki TSUNODA: How was it was
Engineer: not too bad the UK actually was good
Nikita MAZEPIN: Guys, I don't know what's going on here for some reason that they don't see the green light on top of my head You need to go to P zero all the way to P zero
Engineer: Wind looks similar for us for this run pure headwind into one
Engineer: So with the hotter car you can afford to go a bit slower. We are okay on time
Engineer: Which kind of pushing I need to do update me maximum we need to get whim we have one minute 30 to get round to the checker
Engineer: yeah there's a big traffic jam okay you gotta go now you gotta go go go go now go go go go one go one go go go go go go
Esteban OCON: Ah, this is unfortunate, the yellow flag there.
Engineer: Yeah, you are not wrong.
Engineer: I'm afraid we're out, Sebastian. Yeah, it
Sebastian VETTEL: was yellow
Engineer: turn one, yellow turn eight. I did the best I could there to keep pushing, but yeah. Yeah, the rules are the rules. Copy.
Carlos SAINZ: Engine stop! I don't know why!
Carlos SAINZ: I think it has to be the vibrations in kerb, exit of turn 2, the problem.
Engineer: OK, 4N4, track temperature has dropped a couple of degrees now, 32 at the moment.
Max VERSTAPPEN: Can you hear me I
Engineer: can now is there an issue yeah,
Max VERSTAPPEN: and I unplugged the cable by accident
Engineer: okay so there's a bit of a mix of tires here the Mercedes, the McLaren's obviously, the Red Bull are on c3 compound, Ferrari on soft, Giovinazzi on used soft, Stroll, Raikkonen used soft and Sainz is on soft okay
Engineer: We need a bit of weaving before turn 11. We have margin to push a bit more. Gap is okay. We need a bit of weaving before turn 11.
Engineer: Ok, go to open now, open now, mode push, and you can push now.
Engineer: slow button on please Max, slow button on, and this is a possible race start set so look after it on the way in, keep your dash negative, dash negative
Engineer: How much faster do you think you can go on a medium?
Sergio PEREZ: Three tenths.
Engineer: Got three tenths on you, okay.
Engineer: So we have a tailwind out of turn one, stronger now. So it's no longer a headwind into one? It's head into, but exit of one is tail. It's quite a strong tail as you exit one.
Lewis HAMILTON: There's a lot of people out right now.
Engineer: Just going to be
Lewis HAMILTON: tugging the gap for a good outlet.
Engineer: Not sure about the condition of Sainz's car, but maybe worth considering, trying to get ahead of him. There's a six second gap in front of him. OK, let's start working the brakes.
Sergio PEREZ: Oh, f***.
Engineer: So your limitation is just grip or there is also balance limitation?
Yuki TSUNODA: Just grip. Even the second set was even worse than first set. I just don't feel any grip, especially even in entry.
Carlos SAINZ: I felt more bottoming there towards the end of the lap, maybe we can check everything again
Engineer: Ok, we do it What's your take on going on the scrub? I personally I would go with the scrub because it's relatively new
Carlos SAINZ: Repeat
Engineer: What's your take on going on a scrub and then new? Yeah, I'm up for it Ok, good
Engineer: I'm in strat 3, it's meant to be 2, correct? Yes, correct. Strat 2, please. Strat 2.
Engineer: Wind should be same direction.
Engineer: So, science behind unused tyres and just a couple of cars ahead also unused.
Engineer: Okay, drive to the delta on the in lap, delta negative and close to zero.
Engineer: And we can pick up the pace in the inlap. No problem to pick up the pace in the inlap. We are inclined to remove half a step of wing and open the diff for 10.67. Let me know what you think.
Pierre GASLY: Yeah
Max VERSTAPPEN: Obviously got a *** lap, just losing the rear a bit.
Engineer: Yep, saw that.
Engineer: So you can go lower temps yet if you can. You can go lower temps yet if you can.
Lando NORRIS: Uh, they've all released in front of me, they're reno.
Engineer: Okay, yep, we'll warn them.
Engineer: Okay Lando, leave that with us now, so let's concentrate on our outlap from here. There's plenty of time.
Engineer: Okay, bear in mind people trying to play some games in the last sector. I'll let you deal with the traffic now. Nothing I can do.
Engineer: There are four cars in front of you that need to start their time-lapse, think about your brakes.
Lando NORRIS: I don't know what this guy is doing, just swerving in front of me.
Engineer: Pole position, Max. Pole position, four tenths mate. Fantastic work. What a weekend so far.
Max VERSTAPPEN: Oh, finally mate. That lap was good.
Engineer: Yep, three purple sectors. Three purple sectors. Well done, Max. That's the perfect start. Well done. Great, great job.
Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah, great job, guys. Of course, we had a great race last year and this season, but this shows that we worked hard throughout the whole winter. So you all deserve it. Also here, the whole team, but also back at the factory. Great job.
Engineer: OK, so P4, P4, good job so, coffee P1, Verstappen, Hamilton, Bottas, then yourself and after that, Gasly, Ricciardo, Norris, Sainz, P8, and then Alonso and Stroll
Charles LECLERC: what's the lap time in front, please? so,
Engineer: P1 is 28.99 and Bottas, P3, 29.58 Guys,
Charles LECLERC: this is only the first qualifying, but compared to where we were last year it's quite a big step forward, so, yeah surely, we want to fight for pole, but I think we should be satisfied with the step we've done, at least here but, yeah, congratulations to you and
Engineer: to
Charles LECLERC: Carlos, he pushed me massively
Engineer: Copy, and you've done a good job, well done
Lance STROLL: All right, Brad.
Engineer: Okay. Good job, mate. Good job.
Lance STROLL: Yeah, sure as
Engineer: hell.
Lance STROLL: Good job.
Engineer: Ok mate, nice job today, that's P9, P9
Fernando ALONSO: Copy Yeah I think that was the maximum, maybe 1 tenth, 1 tenth and a half How far is the guy in front?
Engineer: 300 300 to Sainz in P8 and then Norris did a 29.97
Fernando ALONSO: Ok copy, we pass them on the start tomorrow
Engineer: Copy that, nice job mate
Fernando ALONSO: Ok P1, then we'll repeat 0 Ok thank you mate Thanks for today guys, good Saturday, thanks everyone
Engineer: Cheers buddy
Lewis HAMILTON: Sorry guys, I gave it everything
Engineer: That's all we can ask for Lewis
Engineer: Currently P6, waiting for Ricciardo And Norris P6, now P7 Charge off, mode slow and follow the reference And P8, P8, charge off Mode slow and follow the reference, no worries What lap times did I do? Overstappen P1 did a 29.97, then Hamilton 29.3 Bottas 29.5, Charles 29.67 Then Gasly 29.8, Ricciardo 29.9 and Lando 29.9, and stay negative.
Carlos SAINZ: Yeah, I
Engineer: mean the lap was obviously not good, but that is a lot of lap time Also the outlap was too quick, way too quick, I had to crank in the others behind. And stay negative, stay negative please, copy that Stay negative You did a good job anyway, race will be tomorrow as we know Yeah, I agree, not bad overall, just bit of a shame there in the last run with the outlap and everything, but it's what it is Copy that, thank you, grazie a tutti
Engineer: And I'll keep you updated weird box is that and it's p7 Okay, Lando when you get to park ferme kill the engine then pause for five seconds then turn the car completely off
Engineer: Okay, recharge on drive to the Delta you've qualified P6 mate. Good job We're P6 starting P6 really happy with that alrighty Nice. Yeah, it's good development through qualifying mate all through the weekend actually just step by step. It's really positive So it's Verstappen, Hamilton, Bottas, Leclerc, Gasly Yourself then Lando Sainz, Alonso and Stroll Okay All righty, we hit the ground running Thanks guys Yeah, so you need to just keep an eye on the Delta needs to be negative at the end of the lap Delta negative at the end of the lap Well done mate. Great day
Engineer: So Strat 1, box, box, box, so currently P3, so Lewis P1 29.3, Verstappen now P1 28.9.
Pierre GASLY: Who is P4?
Engineer: Leclerc, it's one and a half tenths to Leclerc
Pierre GASLY: Bastard, I need a good lap
Engineer: Are you starting on medium tomorrow?
Pierre GASLY: Yeah, we start on medium and we'll give him a good fight It's
Engineer: 10 negative Anyway, nice one
Pierre GASLY: Good to start that way guys I wonder if it's my best quality with you guys Or maybe I did P4, I can't remember Anyway, very good start Very good start mate,
Engineer: we have done it before We can do even better Make sure you stay negative, stop FIA bridge And remember, keep your stuff on to get the weight
Pierre GASLY: Who is on pole?
Engineer: Max is on pole
Pierre GASLY: Ok, nice job from Honda Very good job Let's focus on tomorrow and try to get this Ferrari
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