Belgian Grand Prix 2024: Qualifying team radio
102 radio messages were recorded during qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix 2024, across 19 drivers. 100 of them have a transcript; the rest are audio only. Lando NORRIS had the most, with 11.
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
- Lando NORRIS · McLaren · 11 messages
- Sergio PEREZ · Red Bull · 10 messages
- Lewis HAMILTON · Mercedes · 10 messages
- Esteban OCON · Alpine · 9 messages
- Oscar PIASTRI · McLaren · 8 messages
- George RUSSELL · Mercedes · 7 messages
- Nico HULKENBERG · Haas · 6 messages
- Max VERSTAPPEN · Red Bull · 6 messages
- Fernando ALONSO · Aston Martin · 5 messages
- Alexander ALBON · Williams · 5 messages
- Charles LECLERC · Ferrari · 4 messages
- Lance STROLL · Aston Martin · 4 messages
- Pierre GASLY · Alpine · 4 messages
- Logan SARGEANT · Williams · 4 messages
- Daniel RICCIARDO · RB · 3 messages
- Valtteri BOTTAS · Kick Sauber · 2 messages
- Yuki TSUNODA · RB · 2 messages
- ZHOU Guanyu · Kick Sauber · 1 message
- Carlos SAINZ · Ferrari · 1 message
Every message, in the order it happened
Audio only, no transcript available for this message.
Engineer: Niko we can go sock four just gives us more flexibility and then when we do that back off We'll have an easier chance of going to sock one. We'll just talk about the conditions a lot
Engineer: Some
Fernando ALONSO: big rear winds cuts in front I think
Oscar PIASTRI: Yeah, that was pretty dangerous by the horse.
Engineer: Copy.
Charles LECLERC: I just checked that McLaren because it looks like it's out of the pit exit
Engineer: It's going green now, so be nice hot out lap when you can
Engineer: It's possible in these conditions we should go for it on the first time lap. We think Class 2 rain, 8 minutes into the session.
Engineer: And we will need to build temperature as much as possible in this outlook
Engineer: So Oscar, latest forecast is Class 1 rain, 8 minutes in. That'll build up to Class 2 for a couple of minutes and may drop back down to Class 1 by the end of the session. So you should have a bit of time here. Therefore, suggest Strat 10.
Engineer: So you should get one timed in before we see any rain, and then it'll be class one for a lap.
Engineer: Rain expected in just over two minutes time.
Pierre GASLY: Can you check the rear? The rear feels absolutely loose.
Engineer: OK, we believe it'll get better. Tyres are still coming up. We will check.
Nico HULKENBERG: Yeah, my tires are already in the 80s.
Engineer: Yeah, copy. You're still on a good lap time.
Nico HULKENBERG: And I'm close behind that Ferrari now
Sergio PEREZ: Copy the high speed is a little bit neutral turn 10 the entry
Fernando ALONSO: It was not easy to improve now the second lap, so yeah,
Engineer: so you would definitely need a call ideally and we're just having Yeah, true. Yeah, the call will make a big difference
Engineer: So currently P4 Looks like they're actually getting too hot so look for water Hulkenberg 2 behind
Engineer: This is now or never for a new set we think we should take a new set
Lance STROLL: Fire is still pretty ready.
Engineer: Oscar, how's the front wing if we do make a pit stop?
Oscar PIASTRI: I would go up a little bit.
Engineer: Copy.
George RUSSELL: Struggling to build a raise here.
Engineer: OK, suggests going flat down to 18.
Engineer: Okay, we'll have to drop more there is drop more there is no third behind no third behind. Yeah, but these guys are going I can't Yeah, that's fine. That's fine Low 56. That's what we need to go for
Engineer: No
Lando NORRIS: one behind me.
Engineer: No one behind you to worry about. Back to Leclerc, who's in turn 13, but slow. There's one minute to the flag. You need to go with, let's call it 10 seconds for your number. 50 seconds to go.
Engineer: Leclerc 5, 18, 19, you can use third gear. Leclerc 5 pushing, you Hamilton.
Engineer: 18 now 30 seconds to the clerk is in turn 18 now
Engineer: follow through so you have a space behind a couple of people in the last corner so george coming through more we'll follow through
Engineer: A lot of people in the last corner. Yeah, and I think George is coming through, we'll follow through.
Max VERSTAPPEN: Hello!
Engineer: Oh,
Logan SARGEANT: man.
Engineer: Close the lap.
Sergio PEREZ: Yeah, I'm not ready.
Engineer: We
Sergio PEREZ: compromise ourselves too much
Engineer: I
Nico HULKENBERG: didn't expect that to be honest, it just doesn't feel good, you just don't have the grip.
Nico HULKENBERG: Well, I think we're 16
Yuki TSUNODA: Also, I think I didn't feel much grip. I don't know why.
Yuki TSUNODA: Yeah, I don't think it's fixed to be honest with just too much instability
Engineer: F***
Logan SARGEANT: that.
ZHOU Guanyu: yes thanks for that man we hold position and then yeah we talk later but honestly why
Engineer: yeah joe we discuss uh later about
Engineer: Okay, so I'm sorry, quick switch change, PU1 position 7 please, PU1 position 7, and we'll go recharge off down to 5.
Engineer: So our plan may start to get a little bit squeezed just with sitting in the pit lane.
Engineer: Lando, remember, load transfer driving. Do not over-push the braking.
Engineer: So there's a chance of some light drizzle two to five minutes out here.
Engineer: Make sure you use your switches if you feel limited, you know what to do with the EB on the rest of it
Engineer: Some spots where you're now and good warm-up on the brakes
Max VERSTAPPEN: It's raining a little bit, right? Tiny bit?
Engineer: I think it's very, very fine drizzle, Max.
Engineer: So yeah, looking a bit better on the plan now, so timing looks a little bit better, you've got to Leclerc one ahead, he's with Norris and you've got five behind to Sainz.
Engineer: If you can, warm the front brakes into the final corner to avoid any splits.
Max VERSTAPPEN: Definitely reading air.
Engineer: Yeah, understood.
Lando NORRIS: More range to the bottom, 60 to 1, I would say.
Engineer: This will give you time for push cool push just we'd like to make up time on the in lap if we can
Sergio PEREZ: That means we get a final lap on that tyre?
Engineer: If we abort this next lap, we would get a lap on the first set.
Engineer: So these conditions are just going to continue as they are.
Daniel RICCIARDO: But if it's really heavy rain, I don't think it'll go quicker. Negative. It's light
Engineer: drizzle.
Engineer: On Daniel, we go for a single push. The track is slightly slower, but we go out 15 k's.
Engineer: Zalando, we open the lap, as soon as you're sure it's slower, just don't overuse the tyre. It means it might be drying up and we'll want to do it later in the session.
Fernando ALONSO: Any more rain coming just
Engineer: avoid it in the next set
Engineer: So we haven't got very good visibility, but we don't.
Engineer: Spotter saying rain is decreasing at this point.
Engineer: Okay, Lando, let's just save the tire for a bit. That's it. Let's try and keep the tire. There's two minutes to go.
Engineer: I
Alexander ALBON: don't know how these guys have got quicker. It's so wet.
Alexander ALBON: P11 at the moment.
Alexander ALBON: Well, I was really happy with the lab.
Engineer: It was a good lap, we can see it from here, we're just not quite there with car pace, really well done in those conditions, we're not missing much.
Pierre GASLY: Ah
Lance STROLL: There's no feeling in the car really struggled
Engineer: Copy that, nonetheless a good recovery from P3, so good effort. I don't think P3 made much difference, I
Lance STROLL: think that's a problem with bigger things.
Engineer: It was a good lap. I could see it from here. We're just not quite there with car pace. Really well done in those conditions, but not missing much.
Pierre GASLY: Ah
Pierre GASLY: struggle with the same thing all session Don't do anything to make it better
Sergio PEREZ: Yeah, come on man, let's improve our run plan.
Engineer: And was a good improvement, Valtteri, good improvement, but that is P14 for us.
Valtteri BOTTAS: Copy.
Engineer: They
Valtteri BOTTAS: didn't have much more. Well, any more.
Engineer: Just need to be careful we don't run ourselves out of time, that's why we're going to join the keynote.
Lewis HAMILTON: Is it good that I'm ahead of everyone, or?
Engineer: Depends what this rain does.
Engineer: So running the pit lane is currently effectively zero
Engineer: In a slight rotation in the wind, so more of a tailwind, turn 5, about 5 to 10 kph, so quite low.
Engineer: It's
Lewis HAMILTON: not raining much out here, it's just that, no more haze.
Engineer: Okay, recharge off and we're good to go. One-timed.
Engineer: Tires are in a good window Max. Increase gap to check out.
Audio only, no transcript available for this message.
Engineer: So I was ready.
Engineer: It
Lewis HAMILTON: doesn't feel that great out here.
Engineer: We need better rotation before apex
Sergio PEREZ: It was a little bit all over the place, I think we just adjust a bit.
Engineer: We want to make sure we're clear of any rain that could come in five, somewhere between five and ten minutes, looks like it might get a bit heavier. So then I change set, get ready to go and then get on.
Engineer: We are in aviast 567, take a look
Lewis HAMILTON: Hard to get quicker at the moment. Yeah, I don't think so.
Engineer: Try and keep track position here to Norris.
Engineer: Class 2 rain reported turn 13.
Engineer: And if you wanted to use the top right number on your dash, it would be plus 47 is okay plus 47
Engineer: Okay, so... There's no
Esteban OCON: grip on that one. Yes.
Engineer: Okay, so it's it's p10
Esteban OCON: Yeah, the use they were done
Engineer: It's confirmed to be nine
Engineer: right on check go we've locked we've locked we'll box, we'll box okay that's P3 McClurk getting a spar D 100 but you don't stop whole that spar D right on check go well done mate front row just a tenth off brilliant brilliant brilliant McClurk getting a spar D 100 but you don't stop whole that spar D right on check go well done mate Front row
Engineer: That was an excellent session. Well done. Let's look forward to tomorrow. So
Max VERSTAPPEN: we call that a fall, kind of. Again, here.
Engineer: Well done, Max. That was absolutely brilliant. All three sessions. So first part of it, done. So super job. Checo on the front row.
Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah, fantastic effort, guys. Yeah, let's see what we can do tomorrow, but today was a very good day. Well done, everyone. And a big thank you to all the mechanics for working so late. Last slide. Great job. Thank you very much. It's, yeah, really appreciated.
Sergio PEREZ: Good job guys. Let's keep it up tomorrow. We kick some ass tomorrow.
Engineer: Make a job today. Make a job.
Sergio PEREZ: The clock has passed five.
Engineer: The clerk in that spot is 100, but you don't just hold that spot, do you? Well done, Checo. Well done, mate. Front row, just a tenth off. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.
Engineer: And we are P2, that was some lap.
Charles LECLERC: Copy, good job. I think there was maybe a bit more rain in the second, did Verstappen improve on the second soft?
Engineer: He matched his lap time and obviously has a penalty tomorrow. Okay, got it. So
Charles LECLERC: it's pole position for tomorrow, right?
Engineer: Confirm.
Charles LECLERC: All right, good job.
Engineer: The clerk gave me a spar, 100, but you don't start a pole, that spar do you? Well done, well done mate, front row, just a tenth off, brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.
George RUSSELL: Very difficult session Rear end was not really biting at all Throughout it was only that Q2 run where it felt pretty decent
Engineer: And that will be P5, P5.
Lando NORRIS: Yeah, well done. As good as I could do today, I was shocking, so... Happy with that. Cheers. Yeah,
Engineer: no worries. Long race tomorrow.
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