2017 Mexican Grand Prix team radio transcript

2017 Mexican Grand Prix

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There was an undoubted swagger to Max Verstappen as he cruised to his third F1 race victory on Sunday.

Mexican Grand Prix in pictures
“Simply lovely,” he joked after he forced his way into the lead while championship contenders Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton compromised each others’ races. Later on he said he’d “take it easy” by matching the pace of his closest rival Valtteri Bottas – then accidentally-on-purpose failed to reduce his speed.

“Bottas still hasn’t finished yet,” Christian Horner remarked after Verstappen took the chequered flag first.

For Vettel and Hamilton the race was all about whether the Ferrari driver could finish high enough to keep the world championship alive. Hamilton repeatedly asked for updates on the situation, but the title was his the moment his team mate crossed the finishing line in second place. Footballer Neymar was among those on-hand to offer their congratulations over the radio.

Hamilton passed Fernando Alonso, late in the race, who quizzed McLaren on whether the move had been legal. They agreed it was.

it was a different matter when he went up against Romain Grosjean earlier in the race, however. Alonso furiously and repeatedly complained his rival had cut turn 14 and gained an advantage, and later put an ‘elbows-out’ pass on the Haas at turn one. The stewards penalised Grosjean five seconds for the earlier incident, but ruled Alonso’s move was legal, despite Grosjean’s complaint.

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2017 Mexican Grand Prix team radio transcript

Lap*DriverMessage
PRFrom Lewis Hamilton

Just leaving the garage I had no power when I touched the pedal.
PRTo Lewis Hamilton

OK copy, we’ll have a look.
PRTo Valtteri Bottas

Again tyres struggling to get into the correct surface temp window.
PRFrom Lewis Hamilton

My seat is roasting. Really hot on my back. Make sure you cool it next time. It’s so hot.
PRTo Fernando Alonso

Fernando, tyre info: The only other prime starter is Grosjean. Everybody else on options.
1From Lewis Hamilton

Flat tyre.
1To Lewis Hamilton

Copy copy Lewis box box.
2To Stoffel Vandoorne

Great start Stoffel. P13.
3To Daniel Ricciardo

OK Daniel nice job you’re now P8.
3To Carlos Sainz Jnr

Is everything OK?
3From Carlos Sainz Jnr

Yeah, box, box. I don’t know what happened with the car, I don’t know if I have a puncture.
3To Carlos Sainz Jnr

OK, understood.
4To Felipe Massa

OK Felipe we have a front-right slow puncture, we’re going to box this lap.
4From Felipe Massa

I don’t believe it. Really?
4To Felipe Massa

Yep.
4From Felipe Massa

OK box now.
5From Max Verstappen

Simply, simply lovely.
5To Max Verstappen

Ah simply mate.
7From Lewis Hamilton

Did he hit me deliberately?
7To Lewis Hamilton

Not sure, Lewis.
8From Daniel Ricciardo

Issue I think with the turbo.
8To Daniel Ricciardo

Fail 1 fail.
8From Daniel Ricciardo

I think it’s drained all the battery.
8To Daniel Ricciardo

Yep. We’re looking into it mate, keep pushing. OK Daniel box this lap. OK switch off please. Sorry about that mate, we’ll have a look at it.
8From Daniel Ricciardo

OK I’m jumping out.
8To Daniel Ricciardo

Yes mate. You did a very good job mate, it was a good first few laps, sorry about that.
9From Lewis Hamilton

Is my floor badly damaged?
9To Lewis Hamilton

Floor looks good.
11From Fernando Alonso

OK Grosjean cut turn 14 so he needs to give back the position please
11To Fernando Alonso

We will report him immediately.
11From Romain Grosjean

Man I had to cut the corner. I couldn’t go anywhere with Fernando pushing me.
11From Fernando Alonso

Yeah we need the position immediately because he changed the race. Very clear.
11To Fernando Alonso

Understood, Fernando, we’re working on it.
11From Fernando Alonso

Yes, please, the position. Please. Please. Race director, look at the race please.
11To Fernando Alonso

We have reported him to the race director. We will get back to you. Plan A looking good.
12From Fernando Alonso

Please. Please is very clear. I am losing the race here.
12To Fernando Alonso

Fernando mate we’re still trying. Concentrate.
12To Romain Grosjean

OK we believe we have front wing damage and looks like you think so too.
12From Romain Grosjean

I’ve got no idea. There were parts flying but tight now I’m in traffic so I can’t say.
12To Romain Grosjean

OK understood.
12From Romain Grosjean

But we can’t push a car off like that.
12To Romain Grosjean

OK we’re going to box to fix the nose so box.
12From Romain Grosjean

Really?
12To Romain Grosjean

OK if you’re happy stay out. The pressures are ok, stay out.
13From Sebastian Vettel

Seriously, are we developing auto scooter here? Sort of, it’s fun to push the other guy off the track? I had my nose ahead.
13To Sebastian Vettel

Seb, stay focused.
13From Sebastian Vettel

I am focused, don’t worry.
17To Pierre Gasly

OK try to stay close to him and exploit his overtake to Grosjean.
18To Marcus Ericsson

OK Marcus we need five quali laps from now, we need everything you have.
18To Stoffel Vandoorne

He’s got Fernando close behind as well.
18From Stoffel Vandoorne

Yeah I mean I cannot do anything.
19From Fernando Alonso

So what do we do now?
19To Fernando Alonso

We’re working on it, we’ll get back to you.
19To Stoffel Vandoorne

OK Stoffel we’d like to let positions, let Fernando have a go, see if you can follow him through.
19From Fernando Alonso

Maybe I can pass the Sauber, I don’t know?
19To Fernando Alonso

OK Fernando we’ll swap positions down this straight.
20From Lewis Hamilton

Just to get past these guys is difficult.
20To Esteban Ocon

Pits this lap, push now.
21From Max Verstappen

Also under braking left-front is giving up a bit.
21To Max Verstappen

Copy.
21From Brendon Hartley

Bit slow out of five.
21To Brendon Hartley

Copy that Brendon we are looking.
22From Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton was stuck behind Sainz and about to be lapped by Verstappen.
It’s crazy to be fighting for this position. It’d be smarter to let me go and follow me.
23From Nico Hulkenberg

I had a bit of loss of power I think.
23To Nico Hulkenberg

Understand Nico we are de-rating. That’s why we need B51 on.
23To Nico Hulkenberg

PU9 position five urgent.
24To Marcus Ericsson

OK Marcus we need to keep pushing. If we box now we will be too close to Pascal and Pascal is getting blue flags at the moment. Keep pushing mate.
24From Lewis Hamilton

Guys I can’t get close to a car.
24To Max Verstappen

Fail B3 fail.
24From Max Verstappen

Oh, I think I did it wrong.
24To Max Verstappen

OK you’ve not activated anything just yet. It’s not urgent Max, we can wait until the start/finish straight.
26From Nico Hulkenberg

Loss of power, loss of boost. What do you want me to do?
26To Nico Hulkenberg

Scenario 12. Stop the car please Nico. The car is not safe. You need to get out by climbing onto the front of the car and jumping off.
26From Nico Hulkenberg

OK.
26To Nico Hulkenberg

Go to P1 and then P0, then climb onto the front of the car and jump off.
27From Max Verstappen

The left-front is just giving up a little bit, but it’s still drive-able.
27To Max Verstappen

Copy Max, thank you.
27From Lewis Hamilton

Is anyone else making it through the crowd, the chain of cars?
27To Lewis Hamilton

Copy Lewis. Vettel is making progress but he’s just got single cars at a time.
29To Sergio Perez

Checo look out for yellow flags before turn one. Respect the flags if you see them. We don’t have them on our system.
29From Max Verstappen

Is my left-front tyre all good? I can see some blistering.
29To Max Verstappen

Yeah temperatures are dropping a little bit at the moment Max but nothing that’d suggest we’ve got any concerns at all.
29From Lewis Hamilton

This close behind, feels like the tyre isn’t going to last.
29To Lewis Hamilton

That’s not a concern for us Lewis, we do have alternative plans.
30From Sebastian Vettel

OK Fernando stayed now two times flat out with the yellow flag, DRS open, before turn one.
30To Sebastian Vettel

Copy.
32From Kevin Magnussen

You may want to think about doing something else because I don’t think Perez is that much quicker, they’re slowing us down.
32To Kevin Magnussen

OK copy.
32From Kevin Magnussen

Ah no he is quicker.
32To Kevin Magnussen

OK understood consistent laps please.
33From Brendon Hartley

Losing power.
33To Brendon Hartley

All OK, all OK.
33From Brendon Hartley

Mate I’m losing a lot of power.
33To Brendon Hartley

Stop the car Brendon, stop the car in the same place. P1 P0, jump out. Jump out as soon as possible.
33To Lewis Hamilton

So box box we’ve got a VSC, keep the delta positive.
33To Max Verstappen

OK Max that was a 32-lap stint on ultra-softs, we have 39 laps remaining.
35From Lewis Hamilton

How far behind am I?
35To Lewis Hamilton

29 seconds to Vettel. Vettel on the ultra-soft now.
35From Lewis Hamilton

How am I further away?
36From Stoffel Vandoorne

Massa is holding Verstappen up, he should move quicker.
36To Stoffel Vandoorne

Copy.
38From Lewis Hamilton

What tyres everyone else have on. You guys there?
38To Lewis Hamilton

Affirm we’re there Lewis. Vettel is on the ultra. There’s a mix of cars on super and ultra. You’ve got Wehrlein car ahead on very old soft tyres.
38From Lewis Hamilton

Are the ultras going to make it all the way?
38From Lewis Hamilton

Bono when I ask a question please give me the reply.
38To Lewis Hamilton

Copy Lewis. Yeah most people have already done half a distance on that ultra-soft so it’s likely with lighter fuel they’ll probably be able to make it to the end.
41To Max Verstappen

OK Max so we’re just going to watch and cover Bottas’s lap times at this stage.
41From Max Verstappen

Alright so I’ll take it easy.
41To Max Verstappen

OK so that was the same lap time as the previous lap, Max.
41From Max Verstappen

I’m really sorry.
42To Lewis Hamilton

OK Lewis Vettel 20.3. Currently P7. Best-case scenario for him is P4. That’s not enough for him. We’re just going to keep plugging away and get ourselves into the points.
42From Lewis Hamilton

Understood.
42To Marcus Ericsson

OK well done you are doing a cracking job. You are P12, there’s points ahead. Keep pushing.
43To Pierre Gasly

Good job Pierre. Now for Hamilton, he will help us with Ericsson ahead.
45To Marcus Ericsson

So we can use Hamilton, try to catch Vandoorne.
46To Sebastian Vettel

Very good pace, keep pushing like this, hang in there.
47To Lewis Hamilton

We are forecast for P8 if we can keep up this pace.
49From Esteban Ocon

Are they going to catch me before the end?
49To Esteban Ocon

Yes, they will.
51To Fernando Alonso

You have blue flags for Bottas.
51From Fernando Alonso

He’s miles away.
51To Fernando Alonso

I know. We have blue flags. Let’s use this as an opportunity.
51From Fernando Alonso

2.4 seconds. Ridiculous.
53To Marcus Ericsson

OK Marcus we have blue flag for Raikkonen. But be careful because Gasly is right behind Raikkonen, so we need to be clever there.
54To Pascal Wehrlein

That’s very good pace now, closing the gap to the guys ahead.
56To Kevin Magnussen

Driver default bravo 23, it’s important for reliability.
57From Lewis Hamilton

What position do I need?
57To Lewis Hamilton

Vettel is currently P5. He needs at least P2.
57From Lewis Hamilton

Is that possible for him?
57To Lewis Hamilton

Negative, negative. Valtteri now sat in P2, holding that spot.
58From Marcus Ericsson

BBW! Brake fail.
58To Marcus Ericsson

OK stand by.
58From Marcus Ericsson

Come I need something quick I have no brake.
58To Marcus Ericsson

We need diag A20. OK Marcus we’re going to retire the car, box, box. I’m sorry mate, something is wrong.
58To Lewis Hamilton

That’s how you do it, Lewis. Nice work, let’s crack on.
59From Lewis Hamilton

What position am I?
59To Lewis Hamilton

So you’re currently P10. We’ve got P8 on the cards for us.
60To Sebastian Vettel

Kimi 23s in front. Kimi lap time 20.0, 20.1.
60From Sebastian Vettel

How many seconds, you say?
60To Sebastian Vettel

23
60From Sebastian Vettel

Oh mamma mia. It’s a little bit too much
60From Lewis Hamilton

How far is seventh up the road? I see it don’t worry.
62From Carlos Sainz Jnr

The car is pulling to the right on the straights. I don’t know if we are losing aero parts or something?
62To Carlos Sainz Jnr

We’d like to retire the car please so box box.
63From Lewis Hamilton

How far is Seb from Kimi?
63To Lewis Hamilton

There’s a big gap between them. Raikkonen P3, Vettel now P4.
63From Carlos Sainz Jnr

Sorry also from my side. No pace also. Very strange, very very strange.
63To Carlos Sainz Jnr

We’ll get back in the points at Brazil, mate.
63From Carlos Sainz Jnr

Yep, sure.
67From Max Verstappen

Verstappen set the fastest lap on the 65th tour but Vettel beat it three laps later.
Was that the fastest lap?
67To Max Verstappen

Yes.
67To Lewis Hamilton

Good job Lewis, just keep the pressure on. You’ll break his DRS to Magnussen.
68From Fernando Alonso

I have no deployment on the straights.
68To Pascal Wehrlein

Big push now to the end.
70From Fernando Alonso

Hamilton squeezed past Alonso.
What do you think he went off on the track overtaking or he was OK?
70To Fernando Alonso

It was good racing but fair racing.
70To Kevin Magnussen

Hamilton now is P9, four seconds behind, come on boy.
VLTo Max Verstappen

Well done Max, that was an awesome drive. Well done.
VLFrom Max Verstappen

What a good race. The car was amazing.
VLTo Max Verstappen

Well done Max that was fantastic. Brilliant drive. Couldn’t you go any slower? Bottas still hasn’t finished yet.
VLFrom Max Verstappen

Yeah I’m so sorry mate I was cruising.
VLTo Max Verstappen

Kept trying to get them to slow you down.
VLFrom Max Verstappen

Yeah I was about to cut the track you know just for fun, maybe I’d get a five-second penalty, then it gets a bit more interesting.
VLTo Max Verstappen

Exactly. And GP will be coming up on the podium with you today.
VLFrom Max Verstappen

Ah great.
VLTo Max Verstappen

Yeah Max that was a Sunday cruise. Brilliant.
VLTo Sebastian Vettel

P4, Sebastian, P4. Strong race.
VLFrom Sebastian Vettel

Grazie ragazzi. Car was very good.
VLTo Esteban Ocon

Well done Esteban, P5, good job mate.
VLFrom Esteban Ocon

Good job guys. Really good job this weekend again. Let’s keep it going.
VLTo Esteban Ocon

So that’s us sealed fourth place in the championship. We are fourth in the championship. Unfortunately the two Ferraris were just a bit too quick for us to hold, really.
VLFrom Esteban Ocon

Yeah it’s a shame but it’s not the end of the season. We can get the podium.
VLFrom Lance Stroll

Good job. Very good race.
VLTo Lance Stroll

Happy birthday!
VLFrom Lance Stroll

Haha yeah I’ll take that as a present,.
VLTo Lance Stroll

Not a bad race for a young boy.
VLFrom Lance Stroll

I’m older now!
VLTo Sergio Perez

Good job Checo. Fourth in the championship for us. Well done.
VLFrom Sergio Perez

Good job guys, well done, target achieved so thank you and let’s look forward for the next two.
VLTo Sergio Perez

Well done Checo, good job.
VLTo Kevin Magnussen

P8, P8.
VLFrom Kevin Magnussen

Well done guys.
VLTo Kevin Magnussen

Well done Kevin fantastic drive.
VLTo Kevin Magnussen

Great job.
VLFrom Kevin Magnussen

Good job man.
VLTo Kevin Magnussen

What can I say? Absolutely incredible?
VLTo Kevin Magnussen

Vamos!
VLTo Lewis Hamilton

Get in there Lewis! Champion of the world!
VLTo Lewis Hamilton

Lewis this is Toto. Not the race you wanted but who cares? Four time-world champion.
VLTo Lewis Hamilton

Niki, Lewis. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Four time thank you.
VLTo Lewis Hamilton

Well done mate. Vettel’s going to have to work harder than that if he wants the championship off you.
VLFrom Lewis Hamilton

I’d like to say a big thanks to everyone in this team. What you’ve done the past couple of years is just remarkable and I’m just so grateful for all your hard work this year. God bless you.
VLTo Lewis Hamilton

Thank you Lewis mate. Great to have you in the team.
VLFrom Lewis Hamilton

Never gave up, man.
VLTo Lewis Hamilton

Hey Lewis it’s Neymar. I’m happy for you bro for all the championship. Winning!
VLTo Fernando Alonso

Good race mate. We were P10.
VLFrom Fernando Alonso

Great weekend guys. Car was very, very fast.
VLTo Felipe Massa

OK Felipe that’s the chequered flag. That’s so unfortunate, that was a really good job on that long stint looking after those tyres. Such a shame at the start.
VLFrom Felipe Massa

Unfortunate that I lost points in a race that it was possible to score a good amount.
VLTo Felipe Massa

Yep, absolutely.
VLTo Pierre Gasly

P13. Good job Pierre, good effort.
VLFrom Pierre Gasly

Yeah sorry for the first lap, there was huge rear locking. During the race I struggled quite a lot with the brake, pedal was really long. I struggled to achieve the maximum pressure on the braking. At least we could do the race and there was no issues, I could keep pushing, and I will get stronger.
VLTo Pierre Gasly

Copy that.

Note: Only includes messages which were broadcast in the race coverage.
Lap: Refers to lap message was broadcast on. There may be a delay between messages being said and being broadcast. PR = pre-race; FL = formation lap; VL = victory lap.
Message: Repetitive or irrelevant messages omitted. Notes in italics. Highlights in bold.

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Mexican Grand Prix data

    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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    6 comments on “2017 Mexican Grand Prix team radio transcript”

    1. I used to like Max a lot, was a breath of fresh air. Now his emerging arrogance is starting to grate on me.

      1. Lol. If you think that was arrogance then it obviously is more your problem then his. He was purring and he was genuinely laughing when he was supposed to lower his pace to match Bottas. .. you’d have a point of you’d say it was childish, but arrogant. .. no

      2. @jimbo0070 In the Netherlands we get a lot more coverage on Max including many interviews. He’s confident (rightfully so based on his performances in his life so far) but definitely not arrogant. He’s just having fun and can see the humor of things happening. But yeah, he is a winner, like his 19 collegues are, and they sometimes can come across as such.

      3. Arrogance? They changed the rules in F1 because of him. He is certainly not kissing all asses in F1 but he surely is kicking them.

    2. I’m surprised that Alonso opening his DRS under yellow flags went unpunished. Vettel got a DT penalty for it back in 2012.

      1. Yeah, I noticed that in the race – in the end I assumed that because race control hadn’t shut off DRS or triggered the usual on-screen indicators, and because I could see no yellow light-boards, that the marshal had just carried on waving for too long and it wasn’t being treated as a ‘proper’ yellow flag.

    Comments are closed.