Say what? The best of race radio in Baku
From impromptu bus tours to getting caught out by the walls - or errant race settings - there was plenty being said over the airwaves during the inaugural Grand Prix weekend in Azerbaijan. Baku City Circuit pick out the best of the soundbites...
"Let's have him now Kimi. It will change our race if we have
him."
Lap 19, and Ferrari urge Kimi Raikkonen to make a move stick on a
struggling Daniel Ricciardo. He duly obliges, picking off the Red
Bull at Turn 1.
"Thank you Kimi..." (Ferrari)
"Yeah but now tell him to push, because I don't want that he's in
front of me..."
Ten laps later, and it is Raikkonen who is asked to make way for
team mate Sebastian Vettel. The Finn, who has a 5s time penalty
still to take, cedes to the request but makes sure it is done on
his terms.
"I have de-rates everywhere. Is there no solution to this?"
(Hamilton)
"Err, we are working on it Lewis." (Mercedes)
"You guys need to pick up the pace."
From one form of team orders to another, as Lewis Hamilton vents
his frustration when technical glitches hit early on - and it
doesn't exactly get better...
"Can I not reset this thing?"
"I don't know what you mean man, I don't know what's wrong..."
"What is this guys? Looking at my ****ing dash every five seconds
trying to find a switch that's in the wrong position."
The problems continue for Hamilton, whose attempts to find an
errant switch setting are like the proverbial needle in a
haystack.
"I might not finish this race cos I'm gonna try and change
everything." (Hamilton)
"Err, we don't advise that Lewis." (Mercedes)
Mercedes might be unable to offer Hamilton direct instruction, but
they can keep him on the straight and narrow as frustration
threatens to get the better of the reigning world champion.
"Is it the same like last race?" (Raikkonen)
"I can't answer Kimi, I'm sorry." (Ferrari)
"For sure you can say yes or no!"
It isn't just Hamilton feeling the heat over errant settings, as
Raikkonen's barked message to Ferrari highlights.
"What the **** is he doing!? Seriously. It's incredible!"
Max Verstappen, meanwhile, struggles with a problem of a very
different nature, taking serious umbrage with some of Valtteri
Bottas's driving during qualifying.
"I'm out. I'm out of that session..."
It could have been worse for Verstappen though - Hamilton finds the
walls in Q3, leading to an early exit and a starting berth of 10th,
nine spots behind his team mate.
"I've hit a wall guys." (Hamilton)
"I crashed at Turn 15." (Ricciardo)
Hamilton had earlier brushed the wall in the opening practice
session - but the biggest crash of the first day came via Daniel
Ricciardo, who suffered heavy damage in a meeting with the Turn 15
walls.
"Stop stop stop... stop."
Racewinner Nico Rosberg, meanwhile, hit engine issues in FP2,
prompting this rather confusing instruction from Mercedes. Luckily
Rosberg read between the lines and brought his Silver Arrows to a
halt.
"I'm losing tyre temperature like crazy, because... I dunno, Alonso
is taking a bus tour around Baku."
Line of the weekend from Vettel, who takes issue with the speed and
lines of Fernando Alonso during FP3.
"Aww come on! You're joking!"
Vettel again, as he is informed he will start from third on the
grid, having set the exact same time - but a few seconds later - as
former team mate Ricciardo.
"You little beauty. Thanks for getting me out there. Track position
was awesome, thank you!"
Vettel's woe is Ricciardo's delight, as he springboards to second
on the grid with his final lap in Q3.
"Box Sebastian, box." (Ferrari)
"Are you sure about this? Pace is looking good..." (Vettel)
"We are. We are going to be undercut by Ricciardo. Box now."
Vettel and Ricciardo are locked in battle once more in the race,
and Ferrari react to the Australian's early stop. Having been
called in for a much-discussed early stop in Canada, Vettel this
time objects, and would ultimately stay out long past this
instruction.
"Thank you so much guys! So sorry for yesterday. Amazing weekend
guys. Enjoy it! Another podium - yeahhh!"
Force India's Sergio Perez has the final word of the weekend,
bouncing back from a confidence-battering crash in FP3 to pick up a
second podium in three races.
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