Qatar Grand Prix 2021: Race team radio
103 radio messages were recorded during race at the Qatar Grand Prix 2021, across 20 drivers. 102 of them have a transcript; the rest are audio only. Max VERSTAPPEN 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
- Max VERSTAPPEN · Red Bull · 19 messages
- Daniel RICCIARDO · McLaren · 11 messages
- Pierre GASLY · AlphaTauri · 9 messages
- Lance STROLL · Aston Martin · 8 messages
- Lewis HAMILTON · Mercedes · 8 messages
- Esteban OCON · Alpine · 5 messages
- Fernando ALONSO · Alpine · 5 messages
- Yuki TSUNODA · AlphaTauri · 5 messages
- George RUSSELL · Williams · 4 messages
- Charles LECLERC · Ferrari · 4 messages
- Sergio PEREZ · Red Bull · 4 messages
- Mick SCHUMACHER · Haas · 3 messages
- Sebastian VETTEL · Aston Martin · 3 messages
- Kimi RAIKKONEN · Alfa Romeo · 3 messages
- Carlos SAINZ · Ferrari · 3 messages
- Antonio GIOVINAZZI · Alfa Romeo · 2 messages
- Lando NORRIS · McLaren · 2 messages
- Nikita MAZEPIN · Haas · 2 messages
- Valtteri BOTTAS · Mercedes · 2 messages
- Nicholas LATIFI · Williams · 1 message
Every message, in the order it happened
Engineer: Okay, so it's a target deadline and reminder on the gears will not be sink after 30
Engineer: OK, radio check. Push for balance.
Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah, radio check.
Engineer: Radio's good.
Engineer: Do you think I can push in the pit lane second lap? Repeat that message please Esteban. Do you think I can push in the pit lane on the second lap? I will let you know on temperatures Esteban, I think it's unlikely but we'll have a look and monitor.
Engineer: Box, box Lance, box, box, through the pit lane, no start, through the pit lane, no start.
Engineer: Ok, lift off, cool the car and we go to the grid Ok,
Pierre GASLY: we need to fix every time at the start, I had a lot of wheelspin initially
Engineer: Yeah, tyres were cold Yeah,
Pierre GASLY: I need to see, maybe it's too aggressive
Lewis HAMILTON: Engine temp okay, seems quite hot.
Engineer: OK George, so you'll go into the grid and just make sure you check the drinks as well and we'll do a static bike point find at the back of the grid.
Engineer: Just
Daniel RICCIARDO: on the grid try to drop me as left as possible in the box.
Lewis HAMILTON: Radio check
Engineer: Yeah, radio's loud and clear Lewis, track temp 31 degrees now, probably dropped another 1 or 2 over the course of the race but yeah, fairly steady, wind direction is going to be a similar direction, no change over that Wind
Lewis HAMILTON: feels quite, a bit faster than yesterday
Engineer: Yeah, a little bit gusty, maybe stronger at points but yeah
Lewis HAMILTON: Hey dawg, is there more loss with wheelspin here on the surface, or that's why I'm asking about the second stop?
Engineer: April, we're loose. I think we stand to loose if we get more wheelspin.
Lewis HAMILTON: Understood.
Engineer: So Lance, we've got the tyre sets ahead of you, so Hamilton medium, Gasly, Alonso, Norris soft, Sainz, Bottas, Verstappen medium, Tsunoda, Ocon, Vettel soft, Perez first with a free tyre choice is medium to your left, and tyres behind you are yet to come through.
Lance STROLL: OK, just let me know when you find out.
Engineer: Yeah, copy that, but Perez to your left, medium.
Engineer: Ok, we'll run you to your usual reminders, so we should be recharge on at the moment, then once the engine is fired up, the pit speed limiter on, there will only be a short distance this time to pull position. First gear start, then on the formation lap, just work these tyres, don't overslip them, try to stay on a clean line, keep the temperature in the tyres from the start of the formation lap, then towards the end, just before turn 16, you can do a small burnout to clean up the surfaces, and then after turn 16, so from approximately the DRS line, we'll do 4 burnouts with the burnout button please, so 4 burnouts with the burnout button, and don't forget we'll be recharged off before the burnouts please.
Engineer: your usual formation lap procedures. And then from the McLaren pit wall, if the overtake is too long for burnout, a reminder to delay that brake application to reduce the burnout and perform an extra ramp while you're closing down into your start position.
Engineer: Okay, have a good one. Let's do this.
Engineer: Display 8 when you can, not urgent.
Engineer: for the Checo P9, Bottas P11
Engineer: So Alonso out at 2.3, Gap to Verstappen at 4.1.
Engineer: Hamilton into time management mode at the front max, same sector times
Pierre GASLY: How is the front left?
Engineer: We are good, everything good. Track limit, turn 16, first track.
Engineer: Pace is good Antonio, just focus a bit mid exit last corner.
Engineer: Aguilera behind is Ocon, Sainz, Perez and then from Tsunoda back the field is Asper Racing
Engineer: Bottas 0.6 behind, come on, good job
Engineer: And if you can, we need a little bit more saving turn 9 please. Rear left.
Engineer: Lovely job, that's Giovinazzi now.
Engineer: So Losses Hamilton turns 245, 245, you are pushing more in 12, 13, 14.
Engineer: I have tech available
Engineer: Air Max, can I have a front wing update please for the next stint, Hamilton last lap 28.3, EUR28.3
Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah, front wing is OK
Engineer: Understood
Engineer: Perez will have DRS. Do not compromise. Plan A for Perez.
Engineer: Okay, so we are thinking plan B at the moment, plan B
Charles LECLERC: Tie phase update
Engineer: when you can
Engineer: The window for the safety car only is open. Gap ahead at 1.9. Sonoda on an option. Should be two stopping.
Engineer: Tight attempts to stabilize to save the grip for where you need it.
Daniel RICCIARDO: And this fuel message, I guess it's nothing.
Engineer: So fuel consumption is high. Fuel consumption is high. It's OK for the moment. Fuel one, perhaps.
Engineer: We're a second a lot quicker than soft tyres. This is the right tyre
Engineer: And there's that gap at 6.2 and you can update your tyre switch.
Engineer: I would
Nikita MAZEPIN: have to talk to you, man, but I don't know what is happening yet.
Engineer: No problem, mate. You keep cracking. You're finding lap time every lap. Good job.
Engineer: If you could just let us know where you are with tyres. The guys are pitted from the softer onto the medium.
Sebastian VETTEL: Getting better now.
Engineer: Copy that, understood.
Sebastian VETTEL: What's the pace on the medium runners?
Engineer: So 29.7 for Lance in a bit of free air on the medium.
Engineer: OK, 14 knots in max, what do you think to front wing for the next stint? I
Max VERSTAPPEN: can maybe take one or two more.
Engineer: Yep, understood, thanks.
Esteban OCON: Give me base info
Engineer: Okay, so 14 laps completed cars in front lapping the 29.9 apart from Perez. We need management as a priority BOTAS understood. We still need to make plan A
Engineer: We can push one step more 10 12 13
Lance STROLL: Science is exceeding track limits, turn two.
Engineer: Copy, we saw.
Engineer: And brake comp 5, your rear brakes are getting too cold.
Engineer: Okay, so Info Hamilton also pitted that last lap.
Engineer: I'll just bring this front left in easily
Engineer: Tyres are good. Let's keep pushing and trying to get signs
Engineer: And we need a little bit more management turn 4-5.
Engineer: Both safety car windows are open
Engineer: over TKV Levold.
Engineer: If you need stability turn 10 the right toggle would help and then the big understeer corners you can try left toggle like six and seven
Audio only, no transcript available for this message.
Engineer: Vettel's by himself, setting it up.
Engineer: Come on Valtteri we need to get through Norris. Please use third gear turn 10
Engineer: So brake temps are now equal on the front axle, so you can adjust brake balance as you need.
Engineer: Hamilton last lap, 27.4, gap is 8.3.
Engineer: So Perez behind is on four lap old hard tires Perez 1.9
Carlos SAINZ: Let's do opposite to Ocon And
Engineer: box, Carlos, box
Carlos SAINZ: Ocon will box, he just locked up We will have cleaner
Engineer: Copy How much faster can you go?
Carlos SAINZ: Three more Good pace, though
Engineer: Who has his box, let me know I'm
Carlos SAINZ: opposite to Ocon Ok,
Engineer: copy, heading off and push We are in front of Stroll, pit window Ok,
Carlos SAINZ: good laps now, yeah? Yeah,
Engineer: that's the target
Sebastian VETTEL: Front left tyres start to suffer now a little bit
Engineer: Yep, copy we can see, so Ricciardo ahead his own 32.1 with that overtake, he's 1.5 ahead
Engineer: Just keep up some level of management on that front left time-axe.
Max VERSTAPPEN: May let's have a bit of fun. I mean we're anyway going to be second air, so push, try to keep it close to gap.
Engineer: That's fine, but just watch your slip on the front left.
Engineer: Just trying to wake up the front right disc Max, that's all.
Engineer: Vettel also hard tyre, correction Vettel medium, Vettel medium
Carlos SAINZ: Sorry guys, my bad, but I didn't hear the book.
Engineer: Okay mate, so Fernando's a couple of cars ahead, same tyre age as you, last lap time 29.8, so pace looking good.
Engineer: And the staff one was a 26.6 with DRS from traffic.
Engineer: Check out, we're looking at plan A, plan A.
Engineer: How's the balance and how are the tires?
Fernando ALONSO: All fine.
Engineer: So ahead Pota still need to stop, he's done 31 laps on mediums. At the moment he's 2.5 seconds behind you in his pit window, but he's doing 28.0s.
Fernando ALONSO: Yes, unfortunately they are in another category, just
Engineer: the same. Copy that, no worries, doing a good job mate.
Max VERSTAPPEN: Slowly a little bit more vibration.
Max VERSTAPPEN: Bottas has a puncture?
Engineer: Yep, Bottas has a puncture.
Engineer: Okay, Daniel try and push a little more on the rears try and push the rears a bit more Lando last lap 28 5 on hard
Engineer: A snap in 26.9. Still gravel. Exit 7.
Engineer: Ok, came in, that's 9 seconds from the Williams, they are doing low 29 Sorry,
Kimi RAIKKONEN: what?
Engineer: The Williams are doing low 29
Engineer: Ok, there are some people who have tyre issues, going too long. Some people have tyre issues, going too long. 20 laps to go, 20 laps.
Nicholas LATIFI: I'm not going to f***ing get by George just now. No, do not. No. Copy. So that's
Engineer: an
Nicholas LATIFI: unknown mate. Manage your front left and you watch out for Tsunoda. Understood. I was only going to try one more lap anyways, but...
Engineer: Copy.
Nicholas LATIFI: You had to make it clear before.
Engineer: I'll wait for the ball.
Pierre GASLY: How many laps of Veldelta S?
Engineer: 9 laps, 9 laps. What
Pierre GASLY: pace is he doing?
Engineer: 28.5, mid 28.
Engineer: Esteban, we must maintain management in turn 12, it is not an option.
Esteban OCON: Copy.
Engineer: Come on mate, we've got this.
Engineer: That's 16 laps remaining Max, so again just bring this front left tyre in nicely.
Engineer: Engine 11, position 2 on the straight for performance. Engine what? Engine 11, position 2.
Pierre GASLY: Yeah, give me everything you have now.
Engineer: MFB grey position one, MFB grey position one, Hamilton boxed, Hamilton boxed, no pressure from behind, focus on Ocon, Perez medium coming out behind you, Perez medium coming out behind you, they've gone to a two, Racing Perez, three behind, medium,
Engineer: And we need to increase tyre saving, turn 9, target lap time 27.4
Engineer: Cancel tyre save this lap.
Engineer: Ricciardo, 4.5 in front is low, we get in
Engineer: Here comes Verstappen at 8.6. His last lap, 25.0, was with DRS. He also has a free pit window.
Engineer: okay Daniel so Tsunoda is the car behind Tsunoda is on 12 lap hard his last lap 27.8 and I want to beat him
Engineer: Ok Maz, we're soon going to get the blue for Tsunoda, after him we'll have a gap. Your pace isn't too different from the cars behind, so once we let Tsunoda go, let's get on it and stay ahead of the rest of the blues.
Engineer: And you can push till the end with these tires.
Charles LECLERC: Yeah, I wish I could push. That's not easy.
Engineer: Hamilton lined himself up at ERS to Gasly, probably will have a go at purple lap, we'll see what happens.
Engineer: Noah's had a puncture, the ones whose are struggling.
George RUSSELL: Punch up, copy
Engineer: that, front
George RUSSELL: left,
Engineer: understood, okay we're ready,
George RUSSELL: yeah let's
Engineer: do
George RUSSELL: it James, let's do it, mid 12,
Engineer: mid 12, it
George RUSSELL: is, traffic, yeah
Engineer: it's Schumacher and then it's clear, Alonso in 4, Alonso in 2, I'm going to put plus 2 turns of wing in as well, quality target Alonso, 7 laps to go.
Engineer: You can think right, toggle, turn one. You can think right, toggle, turn one. For tyres, you can push till the end.
Engineer: Safety car window closed, stay off all kerbs with the front left. Big lift in 12.
Engineer: And Daniel, we need to look after front left, turn 12 to 14 and turn 4-5.
Daniel RICCIARDO: Understood.
Engineer: Are we racing anyone ahead? Daniel, the cars ahead are quite well ahead, but with the puncture risk, you want to be as fast as possible. Just careful on the kerbs through here.
Engineer: Avoid curbs, front left.
Charles LECLERC: Yeah, yeah, it's ok. Please, please don't cut it. Thank you.
Engineer: OK, Daniel, we need to still beat Tsunoda. There's nothing specific about your tyres, so you need to beat Tsunoda. Go quicker through high speed if you have to. Tsunoda 0.8 now.
Daniel RICCIARDO: Yeah, I'm just getting so many mixed messages.
Engineer: Copy. Overtake available. Priority 1, beat Tsunoda.
Fernando ALONSO: Yeah, been
Engineer: waiting seven years for this, mate.
Engineer: OK, check the flag please, 17, Raikkonen 14, Giovinazzi 15 Alright
George RUSSELL: Alright, copy that Good effort Shame, what happened, but we gave it a go Yeah, any fan
Mick SCHUMACHER: Yeah, I just let it by before they get mad again.
Engineer: Yeah, yeah, you gotta do that. Okay. Well, there was some excitement at the end, at least you got to do a bit of racing.
Mick SCHUMACHER: Yeah, sorry about that mistake, really.
Engineer: Just
Mick SCHUMACHER: lost it. Shouldn't have happened. But anyways, Kyle was good, so thank you for that. We were right up there with them guys, so it's just a matter of time, hopefully.
Engineer: Yeah, understood. You're matching their pace with a car with less performance, so you did a good job.
Mick SCHUMACHER: We did a good job. And we all are. I just again want to say thank you to all the guys, you know, bringing the car back together.
Engineer: That
Mick SCHUMACHER: was awesome, really. I'm immensely, immensely proud of you. So, let's roll on to the last races.
Engineer: Yeah, good call.
Engineer: Dornier P15 at the end, Kimi P14, Hamilton 1 first up and second Alonso P3.
Engineer: Okay, give me that so check out p14
Yuki TSUNODA: Soft tyre was a disaster!
Engineer: We had a tear-off in the rear wing and we lost 50 points of load, that was the reason.
Yuki TSUNODA: The car was better than the FP2 but too much in the soft tyre, so shame. I mean still, I think too slow, even considering that.
Engineer: Yeah, I share your thoughts, we were not fast enough.
Engineer: OK, Daniel, look after the fuel. Should be OK now. Look after the fuel on the inlet. We've got some investigating to do with that. You finished P12.
Daniel RICCIARDO: Understood. Yeah, well, let's discuss once we're back.
Pierre GASLY: I don't understand how it can be so slow. I pushed so hard the whole race, and still we haven't done one fast lap.
Engineer: I
Pierre GASLY: really don't understand.
Engineer: Every
Pierre GASLY: time I push, the front left tire is just overheating, next corner I have no front.
Engineer: Yeah, we will have a look, understand, and come back better for the next one.
Pierre GASLY: Where are the alpines?
Engineer: T3 and T5.
Pierre GASLY: T3, yeah honestly the pace of Alonso, first in, was shocking, I don't understand how they can do this sometimes.
Engineer: That's checkered flag. Well done. Good recovery.
Sebastian VETTEL: P10. Oh, man. Sorry for all that one.
Engineer: That
Sebastian VETTEL: stinks. I had nowhere to go and then I didn't see when I went into turn one and lost the rear. Yeah, it was not great for my side. And then we were basically last.
Engineer: Yeah, exactly.
Sebastian VETTEL: It's a good recovery. Face was good. Yeah. Lance
Engineer: P6. Lance P6.
Sebastian VETTEL: Why did Norris pit in the end? All
Engineer: tyre concerns from a lot of cars, Sebastian.
Sebastian VETTEL: How was our pace?
Engineer: It was very strong, Sebastian. Basically, that previous lap, Verstappen and Norris and Hamilton were quicker and that's it. So, yeah, very strong.
Sebastian VETTEL: Yeah, like you said, probably a reasonable recovery. But it just stinks that I messed up the first lap and came out last. So, well, nearly.
Engineer: Yeah, yeah. We'll take the positives now. It was a good, fast pace. We'll get it next time.
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