The radio waves were filled with drivers scheming, strategising and complaining during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Aside from Fernando Alonso and George Russell both engaging in a shadow battle over whether the gap between them at the chequered flag would sit at more or fewer than five seconds, there was an interesting discussion at McLaren as they tried to avoid Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris both holding each other up at different points in the race.
Here are some of the team radio highlights you may not have heard from the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Tsunoda ‘passes’ Ocon under the Safety Car
During the Safety Car period, Yuki Tsunoda emerged from the pits as Esteban Ocon was passing by in his Alpine. Ocon went by the AlphaTauri, but Tsunoda re-passed him, leading to some confusion over which driver should be ahead.
Lap: 13/50
Tsunoda
Tyres are quite consistent.
Lap: 17/50
Spini
Box, box, Safety Car, follow the reference, box now.
Lap: 18/50
Ocon
I’ve been overtaken by the AlphaTauri just now.
Spini
We are fighting pit exit, so full throttle until Safety Car line.
Peckett
Okay, copy that. We’ll have a look.
Spini
And now you follow the reference, follow the reference. Mode 14, mode 10.
Peckett
We’ll advise accordingly
Spini
Okay Yuki, at the restart the struggle with the front tyres with this compound, so we need weaving as much as possible, and offset four, please.
Peckett
Okay mate so we’re going to hold position where we are. Think Tsunoda was just ahead so hold position please.
Tsunoda
I was close there, Ocon, so please check, make sure I was [ahead]
It was a frustrating day for McLaren as first Oscar Piastri, then Lando Norris had to pit early in the race for repairs. That left both near the tail of the field.
The team ensured the pair didn’t get in each other’s way, first by telling Piastri (engineer Tom Stallard) not to hold up his team mate when Norris (engineer Will Joseph) was on fresher tyres:
Lap: 23/50
Joseph
DRS enabled, DRS enabled.
Stallard
We want to get de Vries. If we can’t get de Vries, we’ll have to let Lando have a go, so let’s try to get de Vries now.
Stallard
And if Lando attacks, do not make it too difficult.
Lap: 24/50
Joseph
Oscar is trying to get de Vries, but he would not make it difficult for you
Stallard
Strat seven.
Stallard
Oscar, do you think we’ll be able to overtake?
Piastri
If he drops out of DRS, yes.
Lap: 25/50
Joseph
De Vries next on a seven-lap-old hard.
Stallard
Lando’s on new mediums from the safety car, that’s not a problem. We’re [unclear] de Vries, we’ll give you a chance.
Later on as Norris’ tyres began to fade, Piastri moved to pass his team mate who defended his positions. McLaren then told Norris not to lose more time holding his team mate back, and Piastri soon re-passed him:
Lap: 45/50
Joseph
Lando, do not make it too difficult for Oscar.
Stallard
Oscar, Lando has now been told not to make it too difficult. Five laps to go
Lance Stroll was leaning on his power unit hard while trying to ensure he got ahead of Carlos Sainz Jnr when he suffered a race-engine failure which led to an urgent call for him to retire.
Lap: 14/50
Michell
Okay Sainz is in our pit window so push
Stroll
Need more strat
Michell
No energy Lance, you need K0, you need to use K0 to come up the pack.
Lap: 15/50
Michell
Lance, we have an issue, so stop pressing energy and use K0 when you can.
Michell
Sainz is pitting, we need everything.
Stroll
I [unclear] deployment
Lap: 16/50
Michell
We know mate, we’re monitoring, do the K0 when you can in the middle of the lap, do what you can. No energy presses, Lance.
Michell
Do what you can with the K0 Lance, we’re monitoring.
Michell
Keep doing what you’re doing, Lance, keep trying to do what you’re doing. We’re monitoring.
Michell
Sainz three seconds ahead is on his new hard tyre, and you’re clear of Albon DRS, he’s 1.3 behind.
Lap: 17/50
Michell
And Lance, you can K0 22 and 27, and 13.
Michell
Stop the car. Lance, stop the car. Stop on track, Lance, stop the car.
Stroll
Okay.
Michell
Lance, stop in a safe position on track, we see smoke, stop in a safe position on track. Stop the car. Stop the car. And then P0 reminder, we must have P0 when you get out of the car. I’m sorry, mate. Sorry, mate. But we must have P0 when you stop the car, please.
The Safety Car triggered by Stroll’s retirement was bad news for Charles Leclerc, who had already pitted. He was then infuriated by a late instruction from his race engineer to stay close to Lewis Hamilton, who got ahead of him through the pits:
Lap: 17/50
Automated message
Safety Car deployed, stay positive.
Marcos Padros
And stay out, stay out. Stroll stopped at turn 13. Stay out. Charge button on. Charge on.
Leclerc
Agh..
Lap: 18/50
Leclerc
Tell Carlos to stay close to the delta.
Marcos Padros
Copy.
Marcos Padros
And the only car we will lose to is Max, okay. And we need mode Safety Car.
Marcos Padros
Double yellow turn 13.
Leclerc
Who is behind us, who will be behind us?
Marcos Padros
I will come back to you.
Marcos Padros
So it will be Ocon behind us.
Marcos Padros
Charles, at the moment behind us will be Sargeant, 17 lap-old hards for Sargeant.
Marcos Padros
And try to push from Safety Car line one for Hamilton, he just pitted.
Lap: 19/50
Leclerc
Xavi, you should have told me that before!
Marcos Padros
Copy.
Leclerc
No, but come on!
Marcos Padros
And charge button off. So Hamilton is on the medium
Nico Hulkenberg was another driver grappling with a damaged car after the start of the race.
Lap: 1/50
Hulkenberg
There’s some big piece of carbon went into my front wing. Check front wing
Gannon
Understood, checking front wing. Mode push when you can.
Gannon
Aero is all okay for now.
Lap: 2/50
Gannon
Possible debris turn two to turn five.
Gannon
Okay, you’re P12. That’s Verstappen behind, let’s get into a rhythm.
Lap: 3/50
Gannon
DRS enabled.
Gannon
Tyres are looking good. Both McLarens had to pit for nose changes, they’re both on hard now.
Lap: 18/50
Hulkenberg
Low speed is funny. Turn one I feel very light on the rear at entry, then a lot of understeer mid-corner.
Gannon
Okay. Yeah. Copy that. We’ll look at it. Anywhere else you need help? Special problems
Hulkenberg
Well turn 13 just feels very low-grip. I can’t push the entry, I’m just sliding. It’s not easy to get early on the power of the exit.
Gannon
Yeah. Copy that.
Lap: 25/50
Hulkenberg
I need stability at turn 13
Gannon
Understood, we’ll get you something.
Hulkenberg
On entry, especially on entry.
Gannon
Shape three, and you can use right toggle.
Lap: 27/50
Hulkenberg
I have a crazy amount of understeer in turn nine.
Gannon
The biggest loss to Kevin is six, seven. Nine you are a little slower, but 10 you’re gaining.
Gannon
Func[tion] two could help nine.
Lap: 28/50
Hulkenberg
Six and seven I’m managing a lot, I’m saving my tyres. But nine is just understeer-crazy.
Gannon
Understood.
Gannon
We think you can use the tyre in six-seven for lap time.
Race end
Gannon
Good lap there Nico and good job. Didn’t get any luck with the Safety Car timing. But holding off Sergeant was really impressive with no DRS, that was a good run. Kevin got 10th, So we got that first point for Haas today.
Hulkenberg
Yeah. Great. Good job guys. Happy for that. Kevin did a good race. Not bad for us either. A couple of things didn’t go as good as they should, maybe, but all fun and learning, eh? I felt it was not a bad effort. Let’s do it again.
Steiner
Good job Nico, it’s Guenther. Next time we have got both in the points, it’s possible. Good job. Thank you for hanging in there.
Hulkenberg
No worries Guenther, that’s what we’re here for. Thank you. Good job.
In the final laps of the race Mercedes told their fourth and fifth-placed drivers to push on in pursuit of third-placed Fernando Alonso, hoping he would get a penalty. George Russell’s new engineer, Marcus Dudley, encourages his driver to “push like a madman”.
Lap: 44/50
Dudley
So gap ahead 4.7, let’s not let that grow.
Lap: 45/50
Cronin
Last lap, Russell was a tenth quicker. Gap to him is 4.9 seconds. Six more laps, six.
Cronin
Last lap Russell same pace.
Alonso
Copy. Let’s go to six seconds between us.
Cronin
Copy that. So Russell currently 4.9.
Cronin
So Fernando it’s five to go. All Safety Car windows are closed. All Safety Car windows are closed. Five more laps.
Lap: 46/50
Alonso
Copy.
Cronin
Keeping tyre temp is good, but you have got five… four-and-a-half… 4.7 seconds to Russell.
Lap: 47/50
Dudley
So gap ahead 4.6, Alonso has just been given the hurry-up, so let’s push on hard, close up to him.
Cronin
Last lap Russell similar pace. Russell similar place.
Dudley
Four to go. So it could be a possible five-second penalty for Alonso end of the race. Gap 4.5.
Russell
Maximise battery
Lap: 48/50
Hamilton
What is the fastest lap currently?
Dudley
Yeah copy that we’ll let you know on Strat modes.
Cronin
So that’s Bottas ahead he should get blue flags, you’re 2.1 behind him, Russell 4.6 behind, three more laps, three more laps.
Bonnington
And that’s a 32.2. And just think about running a bit more speed entry turn 27, late entry, more speed
Dudley
Gap ahead 4.4. Got Valtteri in between the two of you now.
Cronin
So currently Russell is 4.3 behind. Be nice to have five seconds just in case. But we think we’re all clean.
Dudley
Gap to Valtteri ahead 2.7.
Russell
Let’s get [unclear].
Lap: 49/50
Hamilton
What position am I in?
Dudley
Fastest lap is a 32.2. Gap 2.8 to Valtteri.
Cronin
You can go to strat [unclear] couple of tenths. Strat five gives you a couple of tenths.
Bonnington
Currently P5.
Dudley
4.8.
Alonso
I think we’re okay. How many laps?
Bonnington
And George a 32.8 last lap.
Russell
Is he getting a penalty or not? I’m pushing like a [unclear]
Cronin
Two more to go. Two more laps.
Hamilton
Time
Dudley
There’ll be one to go at the end of this. Just keep pushing like a madman.
Cronin
Russell 4.7 behind, 4.7.
Bonnington
You’ve got 5.2 behind.
Dudley
Gap 0.6.
Alonso
He will find Bottas as well.
Hamilton
My front’s pretty bad.
George Russell narrowly fell short of staying within five seconds of the Aston Martin and Lewis Hamilton didn’t manage to keep inside 10 seconds. It proved moot, however, for although Alonso was initially penalised it was later rescinded.
Lap: 50/50
Bonnington
So just keep the pace up. Don’t know who’s going to have a penalty.
Dudley
Gap ahead 5.0. Strat five.
Cronin
Okay one more lap,
Unidentified
Who’s had a penalty
Russell
What’s the gap?
Bonnington
That’s just traffic.
Dudley
5.0.
Dudley
5.2.
Dudley
4.7. Overtake available.
Russell
Early or late?
Race end
Hamilton
Is that the chequered flag
Dudley
Early. Gap 5.1.
Cronin
You can do a push and hold on the energy button, you can do a push and hold.
Bonnington
It is chequered flag.
Dudley
Okay that’s P4. Gap in the end there was 5.1.
Cronin
Well done mate, well done. Just watch Russell there, he’s fast. 5.1 to Russell, good job. You can go to cool on run switch, take the pick up.
Bonnington
Okay Lewis well done that’s P5. Bit of hectic race but great drive there. Can I have HPP1 position 14 please
Russell
Ah.
Alonso
Well done, guys. Fantastic. Sorry for the start. But we made that time in the first stint.
Hamilton
Fantastic effort today, this weekend, guys, thank you so much for continuing to push. We’re not where we want to be, but we’ll get there. Let’s keep pushing. Thanks.
Dudley
Close.
Cronin
Yeah well done mate, that’s proper driving, well done.
Wolff
Lewis great recovery drive. It’s getting better.
Russell
Did he get a penalty or not?
Alonso
I still need to buy some beers in Australia. Well done guys, well deserved.
Hamilton
Thanks Toto.
Dudley
We’ll have to see after the race.
Cronin
So take all the pick up and stop on the grid.
Russell
Well done, guys. I think I did a well maximised weekend, especially looking back at Bahrain. Work to do but I think we did a really good job with the package we had. So good job.
Alonso
What happened to Lance?
Dudley
Yeah nice work all weekend. Well done.
Cronin
So we’re not too sure yet, he had a car problem but not too sure yet.
Russell
Green one position 14
Alonso
Copy.
Dudley
Green one position 14.
Alonso
Well done. I cannot believe two podiums, two races. What an amazing car and job you are doing, guys. Let’s go.
