The leaders’ crucial radio calls during the Interlagos downpour · RaceFans
The outcome of the Brazilian Grand Prix swung on the decision made by the leading drivers on whether to pit when the rain intensified around half-distance.
George Russell and Lando Norris tried to take advantage of a Virtual Safety Car period to take fresh sets of intermediate tyres to see them through the downpour. Behind them, Esteban Ocon and Max Verstappen stayed out, and the subsequent red flag cemented their position at the front of the field.
All of the drivers appeared to be taken by surprise at how far the conditions deteriorated before race control intervened by sending out the Safety Car. Even that wasn’t enough to prevent a crash some drivers, notably Russell, warned about.
As always the challenge of a rain-hit race put the greatest strain of all on the communication between the drivers and their race engineers. Here’s how four of the front-runners coped with it, and the effect it had on their races.
Russell
| Dudley | Gap 0.8. Expecting heavier rain. |
| Russell | Yeah it’s already raining heavily now. |
| Russell | If it keeps going like this not too sure how long the inter will go for. |
| Russell | Struggling on this tyre now, mate. |
| Dudley | Yeah affirm. Just had a double yellow turn one, that has cleared. |
| Dudley | Pit window is very busy at the moment, George. |
| Dudley | Rain intensity… |
| Russell | Interrupting Starting to aquaplane. |
| Russell | Struggle to keep this thing on the road mate, it’s really bad |
The Virtual Safety Car is deployed in response to Hulkenberg’s crash. Russell has already passed the pit lane entrance by this point.
| Dudley | So there’s yellow, double yellow turn one, Hulkenberg. |
| Dudley | So be on standby we are in both windows here. So Hulkenberg beached at turn one, double yellow. |
| Dudley | VSC, VSC so delta positive. |
| Russell | I think this is almost red flag conditions now, mate. So much rain. |
| Dudley | Yeah, affirm. It is getting heavier and it’s only going to get heavier than this. |
| Russell | It’s absolutely chucking it down now, aquaplaning on the straights. |
As Russell completes a lap under the VSC, Mercedes prepare to bring him into the pits. Russell isn’t keen. He also warned about the rising water levels at turn 13, where Franco Colapinto later crashed.
| Dudley | Understood. So currently boxing for inter tyre. |
| Russell | I think it’s going to go red, mate. This should go red. We can’t keep the car on the road like this. There is going to be big crashes. Big puddle through 13. There will be a crash there. I think stay out. It should go red. Struggling to keep it on the road under VSC conditions, mate. |
| Dudley | Understood, mate. |
| Russell | Yeah big puddle 13, all the way through 13. |
Russell comes into the pits and at the last minute suggests fitting full wet weather tyres instead of intermediates.
| Russell | Approaching pit box This is X-wets now, guys. This is X-wets. X-wets. |
| Dudley | Er… on the inter. So we don’t expect this great intensity to last for long enough. So it’ll be close with Gasly on exit. So VSC has ended. |
| Russell | Traffic behind? I can’t see shit. |
| Dudley | Just Norris behind, one second. |
Norris passes Russell. The Safety Car is then deployed, at which point Russell becomes concerned they made a mistake by giving up positions by pitting.
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| Russell | This needs to go red, mate. |
| Dudley | Gasly 2.2 ahead, Norris one second behind. Do what you can. |
| Dudley | Safety Car, Safety Car. |
| Russell | Guys, I told you, we need to stay out. This will go Safety Car or red flag. |
| Dudley | So staying out, staying out. Rain intensity is reducing now. |
| Russell | Mate I can’t even keep this on the track, even under VSC. |
| Dudley | Yeah, rain level is now dropping. Expect rain level to diminish to nothing in roughly 10 minutes. |
| Dudley | So in the pit lane rain has almost stopped. |
| Russell | Fuck, I don’t know why… I’m floating on these straights. Literally every corner the tyres are not on the ground. I’m like a boat. |
| Dudley | Yeah affirm. We just dropped temps and pressures here with this speed and these conditions. |
Norris
Before the VSC period, Norris was running close behind Russell, and initially suggested the team should bring him in for a pit stop under green flag conditions to ‘undercut’ the Mercedes driver. However Charles Leclerc’s experience of trying to do that showed it was not the way to go.
| Joseph | Lando, the Safety Car window is open. Please confirm full Safety Car… |
| Norris | Confirm. |
| Norris | Box to overtake at some point? |
| Joseph | We can consider it. We’ll think about it. |
| Norris | I think box. |
| Joseph | For what reason? Don’t do as a box to overtake, too much traffic. |
| Norris | No, it’s just starting to rain along. If you don’t want me to box I’ll stay out. |
| Joseph | We think this tyre is going to be okay for a bit. We prefer to stay out. |
| Norris | Okay. |
| Joseph | Lando, Leclerc pitted for a new tyre. He went into traffic and cannot clear it. Gap to Gasly is 20. |
The VSC was deployed after Norris passed the pit lane entrance. McLaren decided to take the opportunity to pit when Norris came back around.
| Joseph | There’s yellow flags turn one, keeping an eye on it. Virtual Safety Car deployed. Virtual Safety Car deployed. |
| Norris | It’s getting very, very wet. I’m struggling to see a little bit. |
| Joseph | Understood. Lando, we will box this lap. Lando, we’re going to do up one on the front wing. Lando, the pit lane entrance is very wet. |
| Norris | Yeah, what are you thinking about, the wet (weather tyre)? Or too much? I mean, it’s more than ever at the minute. |
| Norris | I think it’s too wet, mate, it needs to stop. |
The VSC period was cancelled as Norris arrived in the pits, meaning he lost much of the advantage of pitting at that time.
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| Joseph | Okay we don’t think the rain is going to last long enough to put a wet on. So we’re going to box this lap. Everyone’s fitting inters. |
| Joseph | Box this lap, box this lap. Careful, pit lane entrance very wet. |
| Norris | It’s just aquaplaning, though. It’s too dangerous. |
| Joseph | Just keep it on track, mate. |
Norris managed to pass Russell after rejoining the track. That left him fourth behind Ocon, Verstappen and Gasly. He gained on them quickly until the Safety Car was deployed due to the amount of rain on the track.
| Joseph | The VSC has ended. The VSC has ended. Close to Gasly at exit. Check recharge. |
| Joseph | Keep it on-track, mate, keep on-track. Lando, we think it’s okay mate, keep it on-track. |
| Joseph | Lando, we think this rain is two more laps, so we think it’s good to keep going. |
| Joseph | Safety Car deployed, Safety Car deployed. We need to be… stay on the delta. Observations are the rain is reducing. |
| Norris | Yeah, agreed. |
| Joseph | And Lando just before the line press recharge button. |
| Norris | I don’t want recharge on, I don’t want to be at the top of the pack now, it feels poo. |
| Joseph | Okay. Just use part throttle in places then. |
| Joseph | So Lando we can turn recharge off. We’ll have to toggle it once every lap, so I’ll keep reminding you. We’re still doing too much part-throttle, so we’re going to stay at the top. The rain has eased a lot at the pit lane. |
| Norris | What’s the schedule for the rain now to the end? |
| Joseph | We think 15 minutes of class one to class two rain. Then we might get a break in the wet. |
Norris’ hopes of either overtaking the leaders on their worn tyres, or jumping ahead of them when they pitted, were dashed when Colapinto crashed during the Safety Car period. The race was red-flagged, allowing the leading trio to fit fresh tyres without losing the lead.
| Joseph | So Lando in front of you Ocon, Verstappen and Gasly have stayed out from the race start. |
| Norris | The race is red-flagged I guess everyone can just change tyres for free now? |
| Joseph | They can. |
| Norris | Ah. |
| Norris | I’m going to get out. |
Ocon
Ocon was running fourth behind Yuki Tsunoda when the conditions began to worsen.
| Peckett | Heavy rain expected in five to six minutes. Keep us updated on this tyre. |
| Peckett | Do you think this tyre would be okay in heavier rain, question? |
| Ocon | Yes. |
| Peckett | Okay mate. Leclerc boxed, Verstappen the car behind, 1.6. |
| Ocon | Yeah I (need) concentration. |
| Ocon | I’ve got a lot more pace than that, for info. |
| Peckett | Okay mate understood. Just keep doing what you’re doing at the moment. |
| Ocon | Yep. |
| Peckett | And Verstappen 0.6 behind. |
| Peckett | Heavier rain from now for five minutes. |
The Alpine driver made it clear to his team he did not want to change tyres when the Virtual Safety Car period began.
| Peckett | Single yellow turn one. Hulkenberg went deep there, he’s beached. Single yellow turn one and VSC, VSC. So yellow turn one, VSC. Let’s get positive on that delta. Recharge on please, recharge on. Double yellow where you are. |
| Peckett | Okay mate so all we are doing is staying near zero on that delta. |
| Peckett | Ocon passes Tsunoda Nice job with that overtake. |
| Ocon | There’s a lot of water now. |
| Peckett | Okay, copy that. How are the tyres? |
| Ocon | Probably too much, to be fair. |
| Peckett | Too much for these tyres, question? |
| Ocon | No, No. Whatever tyres. |
| Peckett | Okay Esteban can you repeat your last message, please? Nice and clearly. |
| Ocon | There is a lot of rain for whatever tyres. There’s too much water. Standing water. |
| Peckett | Okay, understood. Do you feel you need a new set of intermediates question? |
| Ocon | Emphatically No! |
| Peckett | That’s fine. That’s fine. Just making sure we’re all clear. So Esteban we’re staying out, unless you disagree. |
| Ocon | Yes staying out. Again. Too much water for the tyres. |
The VSC period ended before Ocon arrived at the pit lane, and he stayed out, taking the lead of the race. He told his team not to bring him in as he expected the race would be red-flagged.
| Peckett | Copy that. Turn one is now clear VSC ending. VSC ending. So get close to zero, ready to go. |
| Peckett | Gap behind two and a half. |
| Peckett | Okay Esteban if you need full wet tyres at any point, let us know. Everyone on inters apart from Perez on the full wet. |
| Ocon | They should red flag that. |
| Peckett | Copy. |
| Peckett | Okay. Esteban let us know if you need the full wet tyre. |
| Ocon | Yes but they will red flag… |
| Peckett | Stay… we’re going to stay out. We’re going to stay out at the moment. Okay if you need the full wet tyre, box, otherwise, stay out, please. |
| Ocon | Red flag, come on. |
| Ocon | Half-throttle down the straight. We can’t keep it on-track, guys. |
| Peckett | Lighter rain in three minutes. |
| Ocon | I’m staying out. |
During the Safety Car period Ocon made it clear to the FIA there was too much water on the track. The red-flag came soon afterwards when Colapinto crashed.
| Peckett | And Safety Car, Safety Car. So let’s get positive on the delta. |
| Ocon | Yeah that’s unbelievable the amount of water, guys, like crazy. |
| Peckett | Yeah. Understood. So Esteban rain decreasing in one to two minutes. If you think we can survive, it’s probably worth staying out. |
| Ocon | But if it decreases, yes. |
| Peckett | Yeah, it should decrease. It’s difficult to tell, but we think it’ll decrease. |
| Ocon | The grip is good in the middle of the corner. Just straight line. |
| Peckett | Okay mate understood. So carry on with Safety Car procedures for the moment. And Esteban we’re staying out unless you disagree. We’re staying out unless you disagree. |
| Ocon | They look at that, the FIA, because it’s too much water. |
| Peckett | Yeah understood. Okay we’ve got the Safety Car at turn four. We are in P1 at the moment. Verstappen P2, Pierre P3. |
| Ocon | Yeah it’s the plank. |
| Peckett | Understood. Okay mate so what we want to do is try and warm the front tyres as best we can. You can go brake five, brake five, add a bit of temperature in there. So the top five cars are all still on inters. Tsunoda in P6 is on the extreme. Norris and Russell in P4 and five both boxed for new inters. So rain dropping in intensity from now. No heavy showers expected at the moment. |
| Peckett | So we’d like to stay out if we can. Just do our best to warm these tyres. Okay so cars behind Verstappen, then Zhou, then Pierre. Zhou is a lap down. |
| Peckett | Okay Esteban so keep warming those tyres as best you can. No one in the pit lane. We’ve passed the Safety Car line for the second time. |
| Peckett | The over-sliding on the fronts is good. Keep that up, please. |
| Ocon | I can’t go quicker in a straight line. |
| Peckett | Understood. Just keep doing as best you can. Doing a good job. Everyone on inters is in the same boat. |
| Ocon | The restart is halfway at the control line? |
| Peckett | Yes, on the control. I’ll give you updates shortly. Be back with you in a moment. |
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Verstappen
Verstappen moved up to fifth place on lap 24 when Leclerc pitted. His race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase tried to keep the communication to a minimum at this point:
| Lambiase | Expecting a heavier shower in around seven minutes, Max. |
| Verstappen | Getting very heavy here. Keep an eye on Charles’ lap times. |
| Lambiase | He’s pitting into traffic at the moment. Pace up front, 24.4. |
| Verstappen | How long is this going to last? |
| Lambiase | Info, Max: Leclerc still behind Hamilton and Bearman. Leader pace, 25.4. |
| Verstappen | A lot of water coming now, mate. |
| Lambiase | Okay, let me know when you think it’s extremes. That’s all I need to know, mate. |
The Virtual Safety Car was deployed after Verstappen passed the pit lane entrance. The team did not indicate whether they intended to pit him at this stage.
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| Lambiase | VSC is deployed – Lambiase misinforms Verstappen So, Max, we have Safety Car deployed, Safety Car deployed. Dash positive. |
| Lambiase | Max, tyres? |
| Verstappen | Does it keep raining or not? Now it’s still extreme. |
| Lambiase | We have this rain only for another four minutes, Max. We have this rain only for another four minutes. |
| Verstappen | Okay. Er… fuck. And after that, it’s dry or no rain? If it’s only four minutes, I’ll stay out. You need to advise with the radar, I don’t know that. |
| Lambiase | Yeah don’t worry Max. Just chatting here. I’ll let you know. Still happy with flap? |
| Verstappen | Er, yeah. |
By the time Verstappen reached the pit lane entrance the VSC had been withdrawn and he stayed out, now in second place behind Ocon. Lambiase urged him to avoid any mistakes as he was now in front of his championship rival Norris:
| Lambiase | At exit of Juncao VSC ending, Max, VSC ending. |
| Verstappen | Fuck, it’s a lot of water, but… Just try a lap. |
| Lambiase | Stay out. Recharge on. Just be very careful, please, Max. Very careful. So Max, Russell and Norris have pitted for inters. They are behind you. You are effective P2 on track. Just keep it on track. Keep it on track. |
Verstappen began lobbying for a red flag before the Safety Car was deployed. Lambiase echoed his point of view, claiming the conditions had become worse than they were the previous day when qualifying was postponed.
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| Lambiase | Ocon ahead. 41. All good. Just keep it on track. |
| Verstappen | Mate this is a red. It needs to be red, this. |
| Lambiase | Okay Safety Car deployed Max, Safety Car deployed. Dash positive. |
| Lambiase | All drivers have said exactly the same thing, Max. I’ve got no idea what’s going on. |
| Verstappen | Yeah it’s ridiculous, this. |
| Lambiase | Just stay out, stay out. The Safety Car is at turn four, Max, turn four. |
| Verstappen | ‘The track is filling up with water, like massive rivers. This is un-driveable. |
| Lambiase | Well we didn’t qualify yesterday in conditions better than this. So I’m not sure what’s going on, Max. But Safety Car, you’re picking it up at turn five. |
| Lambiase | We’re expecting another… message cuts out |
| Verstappen | The race is red-flagged My tyres are just… like a boat. We going into the pits, yeah? |
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