2014 Russian Grand Prix team radio transcript

2014 Russian Grand Prix

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The uneventful Russian Grand Prix was scarcely any more interesting on the radios.

With drivers preoccupied with fuel saving (such as Daniil Kvyat and Sergio Perez), untroubled by tyre wear and seldom involved in battles for positions with their rivals, there was noticeably less broadcast between them and their engineers.

The championship contenders saw little of each other on-track, but Lewis Hamilton was still keen to be updated on his team mate’s progress after Nico Rosberg recovered to second place.

Rosberg’s rivals were surprised he was able to make it to the end of the race with the set of tyres he put on after his first lap lock-up. Jenson Button expressed scepticism about the strategy early on and even as late as lap 36 Williams expected him to pit again.

But it was the general lack of radio intrigue which said most about this race. Since the radio restrictions were introduced in Singapore we have heard busy races on the radios, but in Russia it was noticeably quieter.

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2014 Russian Grand Prix team radio transcript

Lap*FromToMessage
PRCraig GardinerEsteban GutierrezTen minutes to go.
PRLewis HamiltonJock ClearSo Jock, just to double-check, that lap through was the best through turn three – it wasn’t just ’cause I got a good exit, right?
PRJock ClearLewis HamiltonNo, it was about a tenth difference from what you were doing.
PRLewis HamiltonJock ClearReferring to Rosberg
How was my fuel usage compared to his on those three laps? Was it good?
PRJock ClearLewis HamiltonErr, there’s nothing I can say, really. No possibility to compare.
PRLewis HamiltonJock ClearNo reply broadcast
OK. But mine was OK?
PRGianpiero LambiaseSergio PerezOK Checo, so tyre update – Sutil, directly behind you in P14, starting on Medium and the also from Massa backwards, OK? So Massa in P18, Kobayashi, Maldonado and Chilton at the back of the grid, also started on Medium. But the immediate car sorrounding you, Sutil, on Medium.
FLPeter BonningtonLewis HamiltonOK, so we need to work the tyres, we need to work the brakes, and we’re going to turn brake magic on.
1Tony RossNico RosbergRosberg has a major lock-up into Turn 1 and misses the corner
Nico, you need to give the position back to Lewis now, please.
1Nico RosbergTony RossYeah, and I’m going to have to box because of vibrations.
2Guillaume RocquelinSebastian VettelCharge four, urgent. Charge four, urgent.
2Tony RossNico RosbergWe think we need to go to the end on this set, Nico. But we need to catch the back of the field up. Massa has also stopped –
2Nico RosbergTony RossInterrupting
What is the tyres that I have?
2Tony RossNico RosbergYou’re on medium tyres. You’re on medium tyres.
3Xevi PujolarJean-Eric VergneTyre temperature high, Jev.
3Jean-Eric VergneXevi PujolarI’m so slow in the straight, let me drive.
3Gianpiero LambiaseSergio PerezOK, so we’ll settle down. It’ll be good if we could break Guttierrez’s DRS. He’s on Soft tyres behind.
4Tony RossNico RosbergSo you’re doing a good job there, Nico. Catching the back of the pack up. You’re pulling people out of your Safety Car window.
4Gary GannonMax ChiltonYou have Rosberg and Massa behind who have both already pitted. Rosberg and Massa behind.
5Valtteri BottasJonathan EddolllsEverything feels OK for Plan-A.
6Tom StallardJenson ButtonGap to Alonso 0.8.
6Jenson ButtonTom StallardYeah, I don’t need reminding when he’s this close.
7Daniel RicciardoSimon RennieRicciardo, who is in contention for the title. is behind team mate Vettel, who isn’t.
Losing a lot of time.
7Simon RennieDaniel RicciardoOK, understood.
7Ayao KomatsuRomain GrosjeanSafety Car window is open.
7Gary GannonMax ChiltonGood lap. Ericsson on [softs] 47.3, Kobayashi [medium] 48.9, Kobayashi 28 seconds ahead.
8Nico RosbergTony RossSo I’m driving in a way that I can get to the end of the race, for your information.
9Tom StallardJenson ButtonGap to Alonso 2.5, well done mate.
9Marco SchupbachAdrian SutilWe’re about eight tenths off Guti, we try to do four or five more laps.
10Peter BonningtonLewis HamiltonSo gap to Bottas steady at 2.9. You’re now in your Safety Car window.
10Max ChiltonGary GannonChilton
I can’t work out what the problem is! The front-left is shaking up and down. Either failed suspension or brake disc.
10Gary GannonMax ChiltonUnderstood, Max. Understood. In now.
11Mark TempleKevin MagnussenAnd Kevin, we are in the window. Confirm.
11Kevin MagnussenMark TempleIn the window, OK.
12Gianpiero LambiaseSergio PerezOK Checo. Fuel strategy one now, please. And it’s a very good pace at this stage. Similar pace to the cars ahead on Soft tyres.
12Tom StallardJenson ButtonJenson, Rosberg aiming to run to the end on this Medium tyres. How are your tyres?
12Jenson ButtonTom StallardIt’s too early for Rosberg to do that, I think. It’s too early for Rosberg.
13Tony RossNico RosbergSo Nico, happy with this pace. Half a second slower than Lewis, last lap. Remember the tyre difference. Just keep getting through these cars.
14Brad JoyceNico HulkenbergRosberg is challenging Hulkenber for 12th place
Don’t lose time with Rosberg.
14Tony RossNico RosbergRosberg has passed Hulkenberg
So just keep that up, Nico. We believe we’re in a position for a podium, so just get passed Gutierrez.
14Nico RosbergTony RossI’m still driving to get to the end of the race.
14Tony RossNico RosbergCopy. Copy.
15Ayao KomatsuRomain GrosjeanOK Romain. Continue to push.
16Marco SchupbachAdrian SutilSo far, locking looks OK on the front. Just have an eye on the front locking, you know what to do.
16Guillaume RocquelinSebastian VettelSebastian, fuel is exactly what we want it to be. Keep doing the same things. Good job.
17Mark TempleKevin MagnussenAnd Kevin, white-hotel-seven, position five. White-hotel-seven, position five. We can push the tyres a little bit harder. Push the wear a little bit more. Pace, minus three.
18Tom StallardJenson ButtonJenson we think plan A target lap. How are the tyres?
18Jenson ButtonTom StallardStill the same.
18Jonathan EddolllsValtteri BottasEverything’s looking great.
18Tim WrightKamui KobayashiKobayashi’s car was retired on lap 22 with what the team said was a brake problem.
Kamui, you are racing Sutil. You are on plan B. Strategy plan B.
19Tony RossNico RosbergSo just pick your pace up a little bit, Nico, to keep Button outside your pit stop window.
19Craig GardinerEsteban GutierrezOil button. Pace is good. Looks like these tyres are hanging on. The mediums… Hulkenberg behind lapping 45.5 – so similar pace to us. How are the tyres?
19Esteban GutierrezCraig GardinerFor now, is quite good.
19Craig GardinerEsteban GutierrezCopy. Keep it up.
20Simon RennieDaniel RicciardoOK mate, this is good stuff. We need to target low 44s at this stage. Target low 44s.
20Gianpiero LambiaseSergio PerezOK Checo. Whit e mix one and fuel strategy two. Let’s not waste too much time with Rosberg, certainly don’t slide your tyres.
21Lewis HamiltonPeter BonningtonThe balance is really good. Quite neutral. It’s good. Tyres still good.
21Brad JoyceNico HulkenbergLast few laps are good.
21Nico RosbergTony RossAm I still driving in a way to get to the end?
21Tony RossNico RosbergJenson is just outside your pit window, so you’re OK at the moment. So continue driving like that at the moment.
22Nico RosbergTony RossFeeling quite a lot of degradation.
22Tony RossNico RosbergCopy that.
22Lewis HamiltonPeter BonningtonBalance of the tyres are really good still. They feel like they’re not really dropping off at all.
22Marco SchupbachAdrian SutilOK, try to stay on this pace. In front of us is Maldonado. We can up the power once we’re there, he’s on Mediums since the start.
22Tony RossNico RosbergSo start locking up the rears more with brake balance.
22Daniil KvyatMarco MatassaToo much under-rotation front locking. Brake, one-three.
22Marco MatassaDaniil KvyatUnderstood. Understood.
23Tom StallardJenson ButtonOK Jenson, launch map on, apply the brakes at the stop.
23Tony RossNico RosbergSo, Jenson on new medium tyres. Need to keep him behind.
24Marco MatassaDaniil KvyatDany we need to follow the target – 1.85. 1.85.
25Kevin MagnussenMark TempleThe tyres are really good. There’s a lot of grip still.
25Mark TempleKevin MagnussenYep understood.
25Simon RennieDaniel RicciardoOK Daniel, you’ll be very close to Vettel when he pits. We need to make this count. You’re doing a good job. Status-ten.
26Andrew MurdochFelipe MassaOK Felipe, just try keeping the pressure on Perez.
26Tom StallardJenson ButtonOK Jenson, Alonso has pitted. Racing Alonso, pit exit.
27Peter BonningtonLewis HamiltonBox box.
28Simon RennieDaniel RicciardoOK mate, very good job. Need to keep pushing.
29Andrew MurdochFelipe MassaOK Felipe, everybody we’re racing is on the Mediums. We’re on the Softs, we’re in a good position.
30Guillaume RocquelinSebastian VettelSebastian you need to respect the beeps. Fuel mileage is marginal. Respect all the beeps.
30Tony RossNico RosbergBottas will have DRS from Vettel at the moment.
30Nico RosbergTony RossI hit the kerb at the last corner, check the load.
30Tony RossNico RosbergCopy.
32Jonathan EddolllsValtteri BottasSo for info Rosberg fitted these [medium] tyres on lap one, so he’s going to get [degradation]. We’ll get him back.
32Simon RennieDaniel RicciardoOK Daniel, you did a good job in that portion of the race. Very good job. Alonso ahead is on five lap old Mediums.
33Simon RennieDaniel RicciardoHow is the balance?
33Daniel RicciardoSimon RennieHolding up OK at the moment. Yeah, had a bit of push on the front, so just trying to manage that. And then just manage the rear on exit.
33Simon RennieDaniel RicciardoOK Daniel, Rosberg has done over 30 laps on Mediums and is the fastest car on the track. Rosberg has done over 30 laps, he’s very quick. These tyres should be good.
33Tony RossNico RosbergAnd let us know how the tyres are on the wear.
33Nico RosbergTony RossTyres are coming back a bit at the moment.
34Marco MatassaDaniil KvyatOK Dany we are critical on fuel, we need engine 11.
35Tony RossNico RosbergSo Nico plan B.
36Jonathan EddolllsValtteri Bottas19 laps to go. We believe Rosbreg is pushing and will do another stop.
36Brad JoyceNico HulkenbergKvyat ahead on Medium is struggling. Massa and Perez have just overtaken him.
36Tony RossNico RosbergYou’re doing a good job, Nico. Fastest lap of the race.
36Nico RosbergTony RossI mean, the tyres still feel really good.
38Daniil KvyatMarco MatassaI have massive vibration. Really big one.
39Guillaume RocquelinSebastian VettelYou’re doing a good job on the fuel, Sebastian. Keep plugging at it.
40Tony RossNico RosbergDo you think you can get these tyres to the end of the race?
40Nico RosbergTony RossAffirm, yes easy. Well, not easy but they feel good for now.
40Nico RosbergTony RossHow’s the fuel looking?
40Tony RossNico RosbergFuel is +0.8. We don’t want to eat too much into it, but you can reduce lift-and-coast for tyre temps if you want.
41Lewis HamiltonPeter BonningtonHamilton asks about Rosberg in second place.
Has he got anyone pressuring him?
41Peter BonningtonLewis HamiltonNegative, Lewis. Negative. He’s in free air.
41Tom StallardJenson ButtonAnd Jenson, last lap fuel consumption, good.
42Gianpiero LambiaseSergio PerezWe need to look after the fuel strategy now please, to the end. This is absolutely critical, Checo, absolutely critical now.
42Brad JoyceNico HulkenbergChassis nine, P11. And don’t hit the DRS button too early. Last couple of times, it was too early.
43Tom StallardJenson ButtonAnd Jenson we think cars are now going to run ’til the end.
43Tony RossNico RosbergSo, information, Bottas is pushing harder now. So targetting +0.5 on the delta time to equal his laptimes.
45Gianpiero LambiaseSergio PerezIncrease the fuel stategy by another step. This is desperate now, mate, it is desperate.
45Tom StallardJenson ButtonAnd Jenson, we are no longer in the window. No longer in the window, confirm?
45Jenson ButtonTom StallardConfirm!
46Xevi PujolarJean-Eric VergneOK, cars ahead now starting to struggle with fuel, so keep pushing.
50Daniel RicciardoSimon RennieI have to stay in DRS zone otherwise I think I’ll lose him.
51Gianpiero LambiaseSergio PerezCheco, fuel strategy…
52Guillaume RocquelinSebastian VettelOK Sebastian, don’t get away from the fuel, OK? Respect the fuel please.
VLPeter BonningtonLewis HamiltonAwesome drive Lewis! Awesome drive mate! Absolute masterclass. Great job there Lewis. Just keep the revs up, pal. Awesome job.
VLLewis HamiltonPeter BonningtonCongratulations to the team on the constructors’ championship! Great job, man. History in the making.
VLTony RossNico RosbergSo strat one, pick up rubber. Great drive Nico. Great recovery. Well done mate.
VLNico RosbergTony RossSorry guys, that was very unnecessary. But thank you for the unbelievable car, to be able to recover from that!
VLJonathan EddolllsValtteri BottasP3. Another podium! Great job. I think that was the best we could’ve achieved today. Fantastic drive.
VLValtteri BottasJonathan EddolllsThanks guys. Well done.

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.

Follow F1 Fanatic Live on Twitter for team radio highlights during all live F1 sessions.

Transcript by @WillWood, text by @KeithCollantine.

Russian Grand Prix data

Image © Red Bull/Getty

Author information

Will Wood
Will has been a RaceFans contributor since 2012 during which time he has covered F1 test sessions, launch events and interviewed drivers. He mainly...

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43 comments on “2014 Russian Grand Prix team radio transcript”

  1. are teams still allowed to inform which tyres others are on at the start? and others race progress?

  2. “Has he got anyone pressuring him?”

    So Rosberg’s weakness is being pressured…. :D

    1. Which is surprising for the media proclaimed “professor number 2”.

    2. I thought that was Hamilton’s clever way of asking whether Rosberg was on the march against him or just holding on with his old tires. Or…it was real moment of pique when he realized that the guy who ran off the road in front of him like a GP2 rookie was actually going to finish second. In retrospect, as it turned out, Hamilton was possibly under treat from an SC period—he would have to pit by rule.

    3. Isn’t everyone’s to a degree?

  3. ColdFly F1 (@)
    15th October 2014, 12:31

    Isn’t that a blatant infringement by Vettel’s team on lap 30: “Sebastian you need to respect the beeps. Fuel mileage is marginal. Respect all the beeps”?
    They cannot advise on ‘gear selection in general’ according to the rules.

    1. The beeps don’t relate to gear selection, they’re to indicate to the driver when to lift and coast to save fuel, I believe. I also think they’ve been told that messages relating to fuel saving are ok.

    2. @coldfly He had much the same message at Singapore after the new rules came in, so there’s precedent.

      1. ColdFly F1 (@)
        15th October 2014, 13:40

        @iamjamm, @keithcollantine, thanks! It remains confusing though.

        1. It does.

  4. ColdFly F1 (@)
    15th October 2014, 12:36

    I don’t think Kevin’s girlfriend will be happy that her message to him with the plans for that night were broadcast to the whole world – “Kevin, white-hotel-seven, position five.” ;-)

    1. Haha, epic. :)

  5. “2 Nico Rosberg Tony Ross Interrupting What is the tyres that I have?
    2 Tony Ross Nico Rosberg You’re on medium tyres. You’re on medium tyres.”

    Is that a joke or apparently intelectually superior Nico Rosberg couldn’t figure out white markings on his tyres mean he was on mediums and since he didn’t use them in quali, they were new set?

    1. Nico Rosberg is one of the worst drivers that I have ever seen but the media keeps portraying him as a great driver which is a joke.

      1. “Nico Rosberg is one of the worst drivers that I have ever seen”

        So have you enjoyed watching your first two races? Always nice to see new fans!

        1. Yes, he’s average at best but that’s just my opinion and I have been watching f1 for 18 years.

          1. Yeah, it is just your opinion. I’m sure there are lots of other “average at best” F1 drivers who’ve won the Monaco Grand Prix twice. Honestly…

          2. If Rosberg is average at best then what does that make Hamilton?

          3. @Alanore… A world champion, and arguably the fastest driver this decade, as agreed by a number of people who know F1 better than you or me.

            @Jack… Olivier Panis won the Monaco GP too… Hardly sets the precedent for who’s a better driver, does it? And regarding race victories, how many races has Nico won where Lewis hasn’t had an issue? Or how many races has Nico won in a straight battle with Lewis?

      2. That’s what happens when you are matched with one of the best driver. Happened to Massa and Button. Not its happening to Nico. I do think however that Nico is not as bad as you describe him. He is just not championship material.

        1. For me, The difference between Lewis & Nico is, let’s say for example the Red Bull & Ferrari were close to or matching the Merc’s performance, Hamilton would be able to fight for the championship, Nico would crumble under the pressure. We saw it in 2013, Nico was out scored and out performed in a team he had been at since 2010, in a car that was built around him. Lewis jumps into the car & new team with new race engineers and delivers some great performances & a win. Nico’s win in 2013 was handed to him when Vettel retired, he wasn’t catching or pressuring him, it just fell in his hands. It’s not hard to drive a car to it’s limits, but it’s the mark of a true racer that can get more out of the car than what it wants to offer the driver.

          Nico isn’t a bad driver, he is not the worst on the grid but he just isn’t a special driver, and for as much as the media would like to portray him as the thinking “professor number 2” he hasn’t displayed that at all this season. Pressured into mistakes, silly moves on lap 1 of a race. I remember Brundle saying repeatedly before the season starts that Nico would benefit from being a thinker, and how he would use the tyres, manage fuel etc better than Lewis, what’s actually happened is the reverse, Lewis has learnt to manage the tyres, he consistently uses less fuel than Nico.

          Lewis is far from perfect, but he will be talked about in 20 years time (for the good and the bad), in the same way we talk about prost,senna,mansell etc… Nico on the other hand wont be.

          1. Nico had triple the retirements/mechanical faults Hamilton did in 2013.

          2. But that’s only looking at one part of performance, Hamilton’s race positions were consistently higher than Nico’s, 5 podium places to 3 and same with qualifying as well. Also in terms of retirements Nico had 3 to Hamiltons 1 but then you have to take into account the blow out at silverstone where Lewis was leading, or his cracked chassis in Abu Dhabi etc. Also when Hamilton retired or tyre blew out he was leading the race, Nico’s was when he retired. There is more to take into account than simple retirements.

            Comparing both drivers in the same car and you get a picture, I mean, Hamilton has had more retirements and mechanical failures than Nico but has won 9 races to Nico’s 4.

          3. Absolutly spot on.

    2. Im not sure if given the seating position and the front geometry of the w05 that Rosberg would be able to see the markings on his tyres. I know that visibility is fairly limited for the front of the car in general (Spa).

    3. In NR’s defence, the white markings maybe on the outside only, so not visible from the cockpit. I take your point about his intellect, being multilingual and good at suduku (possibly) counts for nothing if you are repeatedly being out thought on the race track.

      1. The tyres are marked on both the outside and the inside. Interesting point on the language though, because I remember Lewis last year mentioning It’s difficult sometimes when Nico can talk the native language, have you noticed this year, whenever we are at a race with a foreign language, Lewis has learnt just enough, or even a simple phrase to say on the podium? It’s just one of those areas that Lewis thought Nico had the edge on him, this year he has filled that gap, same with fuel & tyres. Lewis isn’t any where near as dumb as the media would like to display at times.

      2. You can see the tyres from the cockpit by looking to the side of the car, you can also feel the slight reduction in grip as well. I don’t know whether he forgot which tyres were being used that weekend, or asked the question while he was still in the pits.

    4. I am a Lewis Hamilton fan, and I am sick of comments like yours. What’s the point?

  6. What is brake magic?

    Bonno to Hamilton: OK, so we need to work the tyres, we need to work the brakes, and we’re going to turn brake magic on.

    Maybe Rosberg could have done with some magic brakes too.

    1. All the magic in the world couldn’t have helped that.

    2. Maybe it’s a little stick that jams itself into Rosberg’s brakes and makes them lock up?

  7. why aren’t there any qualifying team radio transcripts anymore?

    1. @rigi Because the amount of time it took to produce them want justified by the amount of interest they generated. Partly because if they went up before the race they were quickly relegated by newer stories. Any particularly significant messages tend to get mentioned in the qualifying report, Saturday in Tweets, or even dedicated articles as in the case of Grosjean’s outburst in Singapore.

      1. @keithcollantine thanks for the explanation keith!

  8. It will be a travesty if Rosberg ‘double-points’ into this championship. Can’t bear the suspense, can’t wait ’til it’s over.

    1. I think it’d be perfect if Nico overcomes a 49 point deficit in the last race. It would show the absurdity of the rule and would hopefully lead to its abolishment.

      1. It’s already being dropped for next year, so having that absurd situation won’t help anyone except Rosberg.

        1. @fluxsource @mike-dee

          It’s already being dropped for next year

          There’s been no official confirmation of that and at present it is still in the 2015 sporting regulations.

          1. @keithcollantine Wishful thinking on my part then…

  9. A few new bits of radio in the official highlights. They include Button being told Alonso had a slow pit stop; Alonso asking where Button was and being told (in Italian) that he was in fourth place (i.e. ahead of him); Rosberg saying “I need to go flat out to attack Bottas, is that what you want?” and then being told “two out of three, please”; Bottas saying “we need everything from the engine, we don’t have enough pace” while under pressure from Rosberg; Ricciardo being told “you know how to be fast, use it as you wish” and “if you can’t get past, think about having a breather and going again at the end”; and Alonso being told it was the final lap.

  10. @ keith…sorry to be nuisance but why is it that the monaco radio transcripts have never been released/published ?

Comments are closed.