“Think I broke my back”: 2017 US GP practice team radio highlights

2017 United States Grand Prix

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Slippery conditions caught some drivers out during the first practice session at the Circuit of the Americas. Meanwhile Brendon Hartley was getting used to life as a Formula One driver at Toro Rosso.

But it was the bumps which caused Daniel Ricciardo the most aggravation. He joked he thought he’d “broke his back” after running over some of them at the end of practice.

Here are the highlights of what drivers had to say during practice.

First practice

Hartley had problems with turbulence affecting his crash helmet during first practice. Other teams had problems recognising who he was.

2017 United States GP practice in pictures
To Hartley: “We are going to put the windscreen now to help you for the next run, OK?”

To Raikkonen: “Gap in front 38s to Vandoorne. Gap behind 42s to Haryanto. I don’t think it’s him actually. Sorry, it’s the Toro Rosso.”

“Yellow G6.”
Vandoorne: “That’s very low revs. Does not feel good in sixth.”
“OK Stoff, Honda are happy with sixth.”

Vettel: “I have quite a bit of vibrations on this set.”
“Understood.”

Hartley: “Still gaining confidence in high speed. Low speed I’m not too bad. Biggest problem in low-speed is probably understeer. In high speed the car is reasonably neutral, I’m just not pushing hard enough yet.”
“OK copy that.”

Hartley: “The only problem I have is the helmet is still lifting. If it’s possible to make a change on my helmet, would be good.”
“I don’t think we have time before the end of the session, Brendon.”

Massa: “It’s raining a little bit.”

Vettel: “I think you saw there was an issue closing the lap.”
“Copy that.”
Vettel: “Is there some rain in the air?”
Yeah there is. Hamilton spun last corner so watch out.”

Gelael: “Stroll blocked me in a the last sector.”
“Understood.”

Vettel: “OK Magnussen is doing a bit of a hero thing so he will probably block us.”
“OK slow down.”

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Second practice

Kevin Magnussen had a high-sped spin, then got on his team mate’s nerves.

“Are you OK.”
Magnussen: “Yep.”
“OK. Box Kevin.”

Magnussen: “Can he get out of the way please?”
“He’s trying to open a gap to launch for the next lap.”

Grosjean: “Super intelligent from Kevin.”

Grosjean: “Yeah mate I’ve got no rear downforce. I don’t know what we’ve done. I’ve got no rear downforce.”

Kvyat: “OK I got blocked, traffic, Stroll.”

Stroll: “The rear’s sliding everywhere.”

Vettel: “Yeah I think you saw that.”
“How is the helmet now?”
Hartley: “Still lifting a little bit, but it’s a lot better than before.”

Stroll: “Is Bottas pushing?”
“Bottas is pushing.”
Stroll: “[Censored by FOM] hell. I tried to move out of the way on the outside. Too much traffic. And also the rear is terrible.”

Stroll: “Problem with the headrest, it’s loose.”
“You need to box. Stop in the box. We’ll put the car in the garage.”
Stroll: “Why do we need to go in the garage? We can’t just stop and go back?”
“We don’t know what is wrong, we need to go in.”

“How was the front wing level?”
Alonso: “It was about right. There is a lot more to come. We had terrible preparations for the lap. But anyway we try more and we see what happens.”

Grosjean: “I don’t know what they’re doing here.”
“I don’t either. it’s a mess.”
Grosjean: “Yeah.”

Grosjean: “[Censored by FOM] I can’t do anything, sorry.”
“It just won’t turn, no?”
Grosjean: “That one turn, massive, massive.”
“A big chunk of aero balance would be the right fix, you think?”
Grosjean: “Yeah I think so.”
“OK.”

Grosjean: “[Censored by FOM] me. What is Kvyat doing? Cannot let me by in the last two parts.”

Stroll: “I hit a lot of kerbs, I don’t think the car is OK.”

Both the championship contenders had problems to worry about at the end of the session. Ferrari decided to take a closer look at Sebastian Vettel’s.

Hamilton: “Big de-rates.”
“HPP ten to five. We have a report of debris exit of the last turn, just need to stay wide.”

Hamilton: “Cool car.”
“Copy. They are genuine.”

Vettel: “Check the pass. Seems a little bit strange around the zero position.”
“Understood.”
Vettel: “Yeah something weird with the front axle.”
“OK so box Sebastian. We’re going to check the car.”
Vettel: “Copy. Feels a bit like jelly in the front.”

Red Bull asked both its drivers to try running off-line on their final in-lap to assess how severe the bumps are. The Circuit of the Americas’s owners had tried to ease them before the race weekend.

“OK Daniel drive on the left side of the track please.”
Ricciardo: “I think I’ve broke my back.”
“OK thank you understood, good data.”

2017 United States Grand Prix

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Author information

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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10 comments on ““Think I broke my back”: 2017 US GP practice team radio highlights”

  1. (With heavy Texas accent) God damn, son. Why them Europeean boys complaining about sum itty bitty bumps? Down here in Texas, most sum bitches could ride a buckin’ steer! Now that there’s bumpy. Them boys should try that sum day.

    1. Sundar Srinivas Harish
      21st October 2017, 1:22

      My guess is they don’t do the cowgirl in Europe. Although, the headline is a message from Daniel, and Masterchef Australia has taught me that dude ranch culture exists down under.

  2. http://www.spanishdict.com/translate/cota

    So logical.. it’s means something like level/heights in spanish.. lots of cota then ;)

  3. Ricciardo: “I think I’ve broke my back.”
    “OK thank you understood, good data.”

    Best F1 quote of 2017.

    1. “I think I’ve broke my back.”

      Contender for the 2017 Season Review DVD title?

  4. Grosjean doing what Grosjean does best…

    1. Sundar Srinivas Harish
      21st October 2017, 1:23

      [Censored by FOM] himself?

Comments are closed.