French Grand Prix 2021: Qualifying team radio
75 radio messages were recorded during qualifying at the French Grand Prix 2021, across 20 drivers. Pierre GASLY had the most, with 9.
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
- Pierre GASLY · AlphaTauri · 9 messages
- Daniel RICCIARDO · McLaren · 8 messages
- Lewis HAMILTON · Mercedes · 6 messages
- Sergio PEREZ · Red Bull · 5 messages
- Yuki TSUNODA · AlphaTauri · 4 messages
- Max VERSTAPPEN · Red Bull · 4 messages
- Fernando ALONSO · Alpine · 4 messages
- Lando NORRIS · McLaren · 4 messages
- Esteban OCON · Alpine · 4 messages
- Charles LECLERC · Ferrari · 4 messages
- Kimi RAIKKONEN · Alfa Romeo · 3 messages
- Valtteri BOTTAS · Mercedes · 3 messages
- Lance STROLL · Aston Martin · 3 messages
- George RUSSELL · Williams · 3 messages
- Sebastian VETTEL · Aston Martin · 3 messages
- Nikita MAZEPIN · Haas · 2 messages
- Nicholas LATIFI · Williams · 2 messages
- Mick SCHUMACHER · Haas · 2 messages
- Antonio GIOVINAZZI · Alfa Romeo · 1 message
- Carlos SAINZ · Ferrari · 1 message
Every message, in the order it happened
Engineer: Just focus on yourself. If he goes by, he goes by.
Yuki TSUNODA: Minus five, zero target.
Engineer: Minus five at the front, zero at the rear, same as the morning.
Engineer: We need to put a bit of energy on France if you can
Engineer: Positive on the brakes on the way in. Positive on the brakes.
Engineer: Check out red flag, delta positive, get your dash positive.
Yuki TSUNODA: No gear no gear I can go first gear somehow
Engineer: Release the clutch, release the clutch, and then first gear and try to go.
Yuki TSUNODA: No gear, somehow. Try
Engineer: to reverse, neutral, first gear.
Nikita MAZEPIN: Yeah, it's in the box.
Engineer: Copy that. Just follow the guy's instructions, they're still outside the front of our garage.
Nikita MAZEPIN: Copy. From what I've seen, the balance is slightly more oversteery than before, but
Engineer: all fine. OK, we'll leave the flap alone then.
Engineer: Red flag, so box, box and follow your delta, so that's for Tsunoda stuck at turn 2 in the barrier.
Engineer: I
Lewis HAMILTON: wonder whether we should pull aside, this is going to be a nightmare, there's a lot of cars out.
Engineer: We'll be limited on time.
Nicholas LATIFI: I mean if we're only doing one lap, we might as well just let everyone go now. Just make sure we get the proper warm-up We should we should we'll have time for
Engineer: the
Nicholas LATIFI: one right so
Engineer: You don't need to work those fronts.
Engineer: Tyres are on the cold side, so lean on them a bit on this outlap.
Engineer: And good job in the hot lap, the others are good.
Engineer: That gives up a good gap to Hamilton.
Engineer: Ok, mode charge on the line and box and quick in lap please.
Valtteri BOTTAS: Lab 2 is going to be far off, so I don't recommend it. I haven't been
Engineer: to
Valtteri BOTTAS: a flat spot as well, so...
Fernando ALONSO: On the understeer inside, but the position we went out of the garage was terrible.
Engineer: And push in the in-lap please, push in the in-lap for timings And think about the flap for the next tyre, we won't have much time in the garage
Pierre GASLY: Yes, I'm happy with the car, I don't want more because now we picked up a lot of rotation
Engineer: Copy that
Engineer: After this, so that's a P2, Verstappen P1, just over two tenths, mainly straight line differences to Verstappen.
Lando NORRIS: Just look at turn 1, struggling with the rear on entry, quite a big instability.
Engineer: Okay Esteban, so second run, same again, do like the first one we'll be fine. So we have got Stroll just coming around to 14, he's a bit of an oddity, he's going to start another time lap so you'll have him coming up shortly.
Engineer: Run switch cool. Do
Lance STROLL: you want me to report? Run switch cool. Yes, I'm doing it.
Engineer: Should I go this lap? Yes, you've got to go this lap. There is no other lap. Okay, okay, okay.
Engineer: OK, watch for Ricardo, are you OK?
Mick SCHUMACHER: Yeah, I'm OK, I'm sorry about that.
Mick SCHUMACHER: All about sorry about that, it's okay buddy put
Engineer: it back together
George RUSSELL: Are we through or not? Yeah, we are through. P15.
Engineer: That
George RUSSELL: was a good lap.
Engineer: I
George RUSSELL: wish I could have completed that one.
Kimi RAIKKONEN: How much time left?
Engineer: We are out, 20 seconds, the session will not be restarted, we are P17 I'm afraid.
Lance STROLL: That's it eh?
Engineer: That's it I'm afraid, yes that's it.
Lance STROLL: Oh man, it's
Engineer: not
Lance STROLL: our day Brad.
Engineer: And box Nikita box box Nikita box and let's go motor slow please motor slow. Copy
Nikita MAZEPIN: motor slow
Nicholas LATIFI: Guys, just before I forget, we've got to adjust the left hand side mirror, it keeps raising so I can't see anything out of it right now.
Engineer: Copy.
Engineer: So key thing now is to focus on getting these tires warm to start the lap. You'll need a slightly harder outlap for the medium.
Daniel RICCIARDO: Okay, understood.
Lewis HAMILTON: You guys ahead on the outlap.
Engineer: Everyone on an outlap.
Engineer: How am I looking with the traffic? We are good for traffic. Just do what you need now. Just do what you need. We are good for traffic.
Engineer: Okay, that looked like a very good lap. Yeah, very good lap. I'll keep you posted on everyone else
Engineer: Our lap time was deleted track limits turn six.
Sergio PEREZ: It felt quite good, the tyre, especially starting the lap.
Engineer: And Charles, we need 3 to 4 tenths, are you happy to go on medium? At least 4 tenths we need.
Charles LECLERC: Uh, tricky, yeah I will try on medium.
Engineer: Copy medium.
Fernando ALONSO: Yeah, more time to come. Let's go on the second run.
Pierre GASLY: Yeah, I lost everything. Here we are.
Engineer: Copy that, don't worry, we have another chance.
Pierre GASLY: We have 55. Push in the in-lap, please.
Engineer: Push in the in-lap. What do you need for the first push?
Pierre GASLY: Just need a bit more rotation in the first lap.
Engineer: Ok, we will add a bit more for the next run. We will add a bit more.
Pierre GASLY: Not a lot, but just a bit. Copy that.
Engineer: Daniel, do you think this is a first lap tyre?
Daniel RICCIARDO: Yes, it can be.
Engineer: So Daniel I think looking at that two tenths from the tire sounds like we should go soft to make sure we get through
Engineer: OK, uh, Lando, we'll be boxing this lap I'm afraid, we'll box this lap, I'll explain later.
Lando NORRIS: OK, copy that.
Engineer: There's a few cars, Esteban, that have bailed and gone on soft, so Ricciardo is one, Giovinazzi another.
Engineer: All right, here we go. Let's push. Let's go. Come on.
Engineer: Okay, let's go in, go up two on the nudger and minus one to minus three on the Delta.
Sebastian VETTEL: Okay, the set was not as good as before didn't have the same grip
Engineer: copy
Sebastian VETTEL: Sorry there but just didn't have the same grip as the lap before. Struggling a lot with the front throughout the lap this time more than before.
Esteban OCON: the car just didn't feel as it did on the soft for some reason let's see why
Engineer: no it's all good it's all right all to play for tomorrow it's all good let's
Sebastian VETTEL: Sorry there, but just didn't have the same grip as the lap before. Struggling a lot with the front, throughout the lap this time more than before.
Engineer: Sol, okay, I traffic Antonio. We have P13.
Antonio GIOVINAZZI: Okay.
Engineer: How far from Q3?
George RUSSELL: Yeah, I just struggled a bit with the rears that time. I had a big snap through 5, lost a couple of attempts.
Engineer: I
George RUSSELL: was pushing hard, but
Engineer: yeah, not today. Yep, nice job.
Engineer: And we have a headwind in turn 11 last lap, which means a bit of tailwind in turn 12.
Engineer: I'm obviously happy for you to overtake cars on the out lap. We'll want a faster out lap than these guys in front Cars in front are on soft
Engineer: And we'll need a good warm-up on the brakes for last part
Engineer: Cars are well spread out so I don't expect any traffic in the last few corners
Charles LECLERC: I'm struggling so much with those roms. So much.
Engineer: Copy, understood.
Engineer: In the in-lap time is deleted, time deleted again, it was 10-6 Where?
Pierre GASLY: Is it a f***ing joke?
Engineer: Can you check? We are just outside, we are just about outside So we focus on the next set now, we have one more set to go
Max VERSTAPPEN: Just have a quick look on the left front of the front wing.
Engineer: okay Daniel you are the sixth car you'll have plenty of time to the flag that's not a concern last run the wind changed a bit turn five to six so previously was a headwind there became a tailwind the wind is not strong but it is moving around
Engineer: Okay Daniel, you are the 6th car. You'll have plenty of time to the flag, that's not a concern. Last round the wind changed a bit, turned 5 to 6, so previously it was a headwind there, it became a tailwind. The wind is not strong, but it is moving around.
Lewis HAMILTON: How's
Engineer: the
Lewis HAMILTON: Outlap compared to Max?
Engineer: Pace is similar
Engineer: We need to just avoid a lap time deletion in turn 6, I guess that's the only risk here. Otherwise remember it's the soft tyre now so you're not going to have the same stability on entry as the medium but you should gain some rear through the traction phases that you can use.
Engineer: Haha, yes!
Max VERSTAPPEN: Nice job guys! That's an amazing weekend so far. Really proud of everyone. This was really enjoyable to drive. And on the track, when the pass was a bit more difficult, so really well done.
Lewis HAMILTON: That was a good lap, still over two tenths off Yeah,
Engineer: two and a half tenths, middle sector, final sector
Sergio PEREZ: Well done, Sergio. Good effort. Very good lap. Let's get them tomorrow, guys.
Engineer: It
Sergio PEREZ: wasn't a great lap there at the end. I was running wide. Sorry there. Let's get them tomorrow.
Engineer: Ok Daniel, that's a good lap, good step, we are P10 I'm afraid, but that's a good lap, I'm happy with that. You're starting on the tyre you wanted, and we can put together a good Sunday from here. Alright Dan, I thought that was better than 10th. Yeah, that was a good effort mate, you needed 42 milliseconds to get Alonso, and 130 milliseconds to get Lando, so we were pretty close, I think we're still making progress. Understood,
Daniel RICCIARDO: we'll put
Engineer: on a fight tomorrow. Yeah the pace is there buddy, we can put on a good Sunday from here, it's all good, all good.
Engineer: What's the line up? Great effort guys No, well done Lewis, sticking through it
Engineer: Yeah, nice. Well done, Max. Great job. Great job. Good to get the pole. Fantastic performance through all three sessions. You've been a class act today. Well done.
Max VERSTAPPEN: Thanks, Christian. Let's finish it off tomorrow then.
Engineer: So that's P3, huge amperes there, so we stop in P1, 29.9, I lose at 30.2.
Engineer: P5, good job.
Carlos SAINZ: Not a bad lap, eh? Not a bad lap. Strong quali, guys. I needed flatter too. You were good in turn 1.
Engineer: Just keep it there. The
Carlos SAINZ: whole quali, guys, has been amazing. Thank you. The car was really nice to drive.
Engineer: Yeah, you nailed it this time. Well done. Bravo, Carlos. Contento per te.
Carlos SAINZ: Grazie, Mattia.
Pierre GASLY: That was a lap
Engineer: What
Pierre GASLY: a lap! What a lap! YES! YES! That was a lap! Don't talk to me about track limits Multi
Engineer: B2, safety car 2,
Pierre GASLY: stay negative Multi B2, safety car 2, stay negative And charge your battery for tomorrow please Come on! This is what I wanna see Ok that's P6, good job P6 Very very good Thanks Yeah very good Very happy
Engineer: It
Pierre GASLY: wasn't easy but I did a very good step in quality so Congrats guys, very good job And to you
Engineer: OK mate, so that is P9, P9 between Norris and Ricciardo, Norris did a 31.25 OK,
Fernando ALONSO: I'm happy with the lap, it was close to the maximum
Engineer: Copy that mate, nice work, difficult condition with the wind changing
Engineer: And P7, P7.
Charles LECLERC: That's the very best I could do, honestly. But, yeah, congratulations to Carlos. And, yeah, on our side, let's work a little bit for tomorrow to see what did I do wrong to have so much to understand. Anyway, thank you.
Engineer: Copy. We'll check everything for tomorrow.
Engineer: OK, weird box to slap. I'll keep you updated.
Lando NORRIS: Yeah, not very good. I did put it together, so...
Engineer: OK, there's P8. P8.
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