“I’m smiling”: 2017 British Grand Prix practice team radio highlights

2017 British Grand Prix

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Nico Hulkenberg was happy with his car’s performance during practice at Silverstone. Here’s what he and the other drivers had to say on the radio on Friday:

First practice

Romain Grosjean began the session with a song:

Grosjean “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to Simsy!”

To Stroll: “VLim two, fifth gear, straight ahead, through turn 15, and then box.”

British GP practice in pictures
To Ricciardo: “Think about your tyre preparation for this lap.”

Vandoorne: “Can you check turn three? I had a rear under-rotation, it felt like I was off the brakes.”
“Copy.”

Kvyat: “I was just massively held up. I need to leave some gap.”
“OK open in turn three.”
Kvyat: “OK next lap let’s go for a push.”

Antonio Giovinazzi was back in action for Haas.

To Giovinazzi: “Very low tyre temperature, brake temperature.”

Sebastian Vettel had to abandon one of his early runs after spinning.

Vettel: “OK I spun and continued at 14. Car seems OK. Tyres are flat-spotted. I think I have to box.”

Wehrlein had to pit due to an operational error
Sauber slipped up with Pascal Wehrlein’s car.

“Slow down Pascal we have to box for gearbox temperatures.”
Wehrlein: “Unbelievable.”
“Stop in pit stop position and we remove a blanking for the gearbox temperature and you continue.”

Grosjean: “Yeah I’m not quite sure we’ve got everything right.”
“Is it a balance problem or what?”
Grosjean: “No, engine. No power.”
Grosjean: “Exit of six there’s absolutely nothing.”
“Yeah I see there’s no MGU-K”
Grosjean: “OK try and find an update guys we’re losing a whole session here.”
“Multi B4 to position eight when you can.”

To Ocon: “Esteban the yellow button update didn’t go in. For turn 16 you’ll have to use the brake paddles, one or two clicks.”

Stroll: “Something’s loose in the cockpit. My left arm – it’s getting in the way of it.”

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Second practice

Hulkenberg was in a good mood when second practice began.

Hulkenberg: “I’m smiling.”
“OK, good news.”

Grosjean, not uncharacteristically, was not.

Grosjean: “OK I need some big help with the brake map.”
“So the front-locking is a big problem?”
Grosjean: “No, rear.”
“We just go forward for now.”
Grosjean: “No, take a minute, been playing with the brake balance it doesn’t change my problem”

More drivers made mistakes in Silverstone’s quick corners, including Carlos Sainz Jnr.

“All OK with the car?”
Sainz: “Yeah the tyres are destroyed though. Box.”

“Verstappen: “I have too much understeer, I can’t drive it like this.”
“OK, box.”

“Wehrlein: “Guys I have no power from the last corner to the start/finish line.”
“Understood Pascal, we have seen it.”

Hamilton had a spin, but kept the fans happy
Lewis Hamilton also had a minor off during his qualifying run.

Hamilton: “Car might be damaged.”
“OK box box.”

Ricciardo: “Yeah I nearly spun at Becketts.”
“Understood.”

To Vandoorne “Turn six, don’t brake too late, concentrate on the line, initial entry.”

To Ricciardo: “How’s the balance?”
“Both front and rear struggling a bit.”

Massa: “I just lost the rear tyres. Don’t know how it’s going to be after this.”
“Let’s try one lap.”
“No, it’s not possible.”

The usually chipper Daniel Ricciardo was frustrated by Grosjean at the end of the session.

Ricciardo: “If I carry more speed through six I four-wheel-slide out. Is it more braking or rolling speed?”
“Slow earlier, more apex speed.”

Ricciardo: “What the fuck does this kid do? Oh my god.”
OK, just stick on his tail.”

2017 British Grand Prix

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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