Ferrari found themselves with a difficult situation to manage on the radio for the second Sunday in a row during the Russian Grand Prix.

After the events of Singapore, where Charles Leclerc asked the team on the radio whether it intended to leave Sebastian Vettel in the lead having jumped him ahead through the pit stops , the team’s younger driver said he accepted he should “shut up” on the radio in future

For his part, Vettel remarked that a driver would be “very misled if you ever think that you are bigger than this team”.

Yet in Sochi Leclerc again raised questions about the team’s strategy on the radio (as did his team mate), while Vettel repeatedly ignored an instruction from the team, and even stopped replying to their messages entirely at one point.

At the heart of the latest dispute was Ferrari’s plan to manage the start of the race. Vettel took the lead from pole-sitter Leclerc at the start having used his slipstream as he passed Lewis Hamilton.

From their radio messages, reproduced in full below, it’s clear both drivers understand the team would decide which one of them would get to lead the race. Ferrari swiftly informed both drivers that Vettel would have to let Leclerc by.

The full team radio transcript from both cars during the race sheds more light on Ferrari’s tactics for the race and how it went wrong.

2019 Russian Grand Prix Ferrari team radio transcript

Immediately after the start, both Ferrari drivers prompted the team to give their view on how it had gone. Word came back that the team wanted to “swap” their positions, i.e. put Leclerc ahead of Vettel.

Note: Some messages will have been broadcast simultaneously so it is not possible to reflect the exact sequence of communication.

Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 1 To Leclerc: K2 off. 1 To Leclerc: Safety Car deployed. Stay positive. Slow button on. And stay out. 1 Leclerc: Just for me to understand the situation was pretty clear, right? 1 To Leclerc: Yes, I will come back to you, but everything’s fine. 1 To Vettel: Safety Car, stay out, stay positive. 1 Vettel: OK copy that. You let me know on the start. 1 To Vettel: OK, understood. 1 To Leclerc: Reminder just to maximise full throttle before the restart. K2 on. 1 Leclerc: Yeah, copy. 1 To Vettel: Save fuel. 2 To Vettel: There was an accident in turn four. Grosjean stopped there. Watch for debris. 2 To Vettel: Ferrari told Vettel first the positions would be swapped, the similarly-worded message to Leclerc came around a minute later.

Start performance was the same so we are looking into swapping. 2 Vettel: Copy. I was ahead in or after turn one so your call. 2 To Vettel: OK, understood. Watch for debris there, keep watching your tyres, save fuel. 2 To Vettel: We will look into the best time later in the race. 2 To Leclerc: So Charles start performance was the same and we are looking to do the swap further into the race. 2 Leclerc: Yes, no problem, at least I understand. 2 To Leclerc: Copy. 2 To Vettel: Work on your brakes as well as tyres. 2 To Leclerc: So tyres and brakes OK, keep doing what you’re doing. 3 To Vettel: Need to work more on your tyres. 3 To Vettel: Safety Car in this lap. (Unclear) for the restart and K2 on for the restart. Warm your brakes. 3 To Leclerc: Safety Car in this lap. Try to maximise full throttle and K2 on. 3 To Vettel: Check your brake balance position for the restart. 4 To Vettel: The race restarts

K2 off.

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When Vettel was given the instruction to let Leclerc by he began disputing the call.

Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 5 To Vettel: Lap five: Vettel leads Leclerc by 1.35 seconds and Hamilton by 3.4 seconds

Charles 1.2 behind, nice job there. 5 Leclerc: Gap to behind is fine now. 5 To Leclerc: Copy, understood. 5 To Leclerc: Sebastian will let you by next lap. 5 To Vettel: Hamilton lap time 41.0. 5 To Vettel: Hamilton is 2.4 behind Charles. Let Charles by. Let Charles by. 6 To Leclerc: Lap six: Vettel leads Leclerc by 1.37 seconds and Hamilton by 4.0 seconds. Message to Leclerc on pit straight.

Sebastian will let you by. 6 Vettel: (Unclear) do you know that? But I would have got him anyways. But let’s break away for another two laps, let me know. 6 To Vettel: OK, understood, head down. 6 Leclerc: Where? 6 To Leclerc: We’ll do it next lap. 6 To Leclerc: DRS enabled.

Having initially responded to Ferrari’s order by saying they should pull away further from Hamilton before swapping positions, Vettel then argued Leclerc needed to get closer to him. When Ferrari gave him a third order to pull over, Vettel stopped responding entirely.

Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 7 To Vettel: Lap seven: Vettel leads Leclerc by 1.37 seconds and Hamilton by 4.2 seconds

Let Charles by. Hamilton is three seconds behind Charles. 7 Vettel: Tell him to close up. 7 To Vettel: OK, copy. 7 To Leclerc: Turn one.

Sebastian will let you by. 7 Leclerc: When? 7 To Leclerc: Try to close the gap and we’ll do it next lap. 7 Leclerc: (Unclear.) 7 Leclerc: You put me behind. I respected everything. We will speak later. But now it’s difficult to close the gap, obviously. 8 To Vettel: Lap eight: Vettel leads Leclerc by 1.68 seconds and Hamilton by 4.3 seconds. Vettel did not reply to this message.

Starting to close the gap. Let him by. He’s 1.4 behind. 8 To Leclerc: So he should let you by this lap, will let you by. 8 To Vettel: Charles is 1.6 behind.

As it became clear Vettel wasn’t going to obey the instruction, Ferrari’s deputy race director Laurent Mekies came on Leclerc’s radio to confirm a change of plan.

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Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 9 To Vettel: Charles is 1.7 behind. 9 To Vettel: You are the fastest car on track. Head down, you are doing well. 9 To Vettel: We are moving to Plan C. Charles 1.5 behind. Update your tyre phase when you can. 9 To Leclerc: You need to try to close the gaps. 9 Leclerc: Yeah guys but I mean… 9 To Leclerc: Laurent Mekies

Charles we will do the swap a bit later on. Lewis is a bit close and we want to push now. We will do it later. Just focus on your race. Thank you. 9 Leclerc: I completely understand. The only thing is that I respected, I gave him the slipstream, no problems. Then I tried to push at the beginning of the race but I overheated the tyre. But anyway, it’s no problems. Manage the situation.

Ferrari brought Leclerc in to the pits before Vettel. Leclerc later said he believed this was done to give him the advantage of new tyres before his team mate in order to get him ahead of Vettel.

However team principal Mattia Binotto subsequently denied the team gave Leclerc the ‘undercut’ to get him ahead of Vettel. Binotto pointed out Leclerc had reported tyre degradation shortly before he pitted.

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Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 10 To Vettel: Nice job there. Charles is three-tenths behind, three tenths slower than you. Hamilton 39.1. 10 To Vettel: Charles 2.3 behind. Multi function minus one click. 10 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind at 3.4. Sebastian in front 2.3. Brake balance plus one and diff mid plus one suggestion. 11 To Vettel: Charles is 2.2 behind. Charles lap time 39.2. And Hamilton 40.3, made a mistake. 11 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind at 3.7. Sebastian in front 2.2. 11 To Vettel: Doing a good job on tyres. Try to improve turn four. Charles 2.5 behind. 11 To Leclerc: And we need secondary WG position nine. 12 To Vettel: Multi B3 wastegate position nine. Charles 2.8 behind. Head down. 12 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind at 3.7. 13 To Vettel: Try to improve turn four. You are fastest on track. Charles lap time 9.2. (Unclear) lap 12. 13 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind at 3.7. 13 To Leclerc: And front wing update when you can. 13 Leclerc: Yeah OK like this. 13 To Vettel: Good job in turn four. A lot better. Charles 3.4 behind. 14 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind at 3.4. Tyre phase update when you can. 14 To Vettel: Good lap there. Head down. Nice job. 14 To Vettel: Good job in turn four. Charles 3.7 behind. Hamilton start pushing, 38.6 for Hamilton. 14 To Leclerc: Sebastian in front at 3.7. Hamilton behind 3.3. 15 To Vettel: Charles lap time 8.7. Hamilton lap time 8.5. 15 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind at 3.2. 15 To Vettel: Update on front wing. Charles 3.9 behind. 15 To Vettel: Plus one. 15 Vettel: OK, copy. 15 To Leclerc: Try to improve apex speed turns five and eight. Hamilton behind at 3.1. 16 To Vettel: Charles lap time 8.5. He is the fastest on track. And Hamilton now fastest, 38.3. And he is three seconds behind Charles. 16 To Leclerc: Sebastian ahead 3.7. His lap time: 38.5. 16 To Vettel: Update your tyre phase. 16 To Leclerc: And you can push now. Gap to Hamilton behind 3.1. 17 To Leclerc: Gap to Hamilton behind 3.3. 17 To Vettel: Focus turn 13, 14 to improve. 18 Vettel: Lap times. 18 To Vettel: Charles 3.9 behind he is 38.5, Hamilton 38.9. Copy. 18 To Vettel: Copy Plan C, we are on Plan C. 18 To Leclerc: And we are going to plan C. 18 To Vettel: Charles is four seconds behind. We think also Mercedes might go long on their medium tyres. 19 To Leclerc: And Hamilton behind at 3.3. Sebastian lap time 38.4. 19 Leclerc: Yeah I know, we are doing the same lap times. 19 To Vettel: Charles lap time 8.4, Hamilton 8.3. 19 To Vettel: Verstappen behind is not a threat, he’s a 39.4. So head down, racing Mercs. 19 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind at 3.3. 19 To Vettel: And focus on turn 15, 16. Charles 4.2 behind. Charles lap time 8.7. 21 To Vettel: Charles is 4.4 behind. Update on tyre phase when you can. Charles lap time 8.7. Hamilton 8.5. Bottas is 10 seconds behind Hamilton. 21 To Leclerc: Gap to Hamilton behind 2.9. 21 To Leclerc: And tyre phase update when you can. 21 To Vettel: Blue for Kubica, head down. 22 To Vettel: Charles lap time 8.7, head down. 22 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind 2.7. 22 To Leclerc: Kubica in front should have blue flags. 22 Leclerc: Rear-left. 22 To Leclerc: Copy, understood. 22 To Vettel: And clear in front. Free air. Head down. 22 To Leclerc: Mode position two. 22 To Leclerc: And box now, box. 23 To Vettel: And Charles is coming in this lap. Hamilton is 6.2 behind on medium tyre. Hamilton lap time 8.7.

When Vettel made his pit stop, he came out behind Leclerc.

Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 23 To Leclerc: Leclerc pits.

And reset brake balance. 23 To Leclerc: And track is clear, track clear. 23 To Leclerc: K2 off. Bottas in front at 10 seconds. 23 To Vettel: Update on tyre phase. Hamilton 6.6 behind. 23 To Leclerc: Bottas in front at 10 seconds, he did not pit. Behind we have Verstappen at 10-and-a-half seconds, still needs to pit. 24 To Vettel: Hamilton 6.3 behind. Hamilton lap time 38.8. 24 Vettel: My rears are falling off now. 24 To Vettel: Copy. 24 To Leclerc: We need to push. 24 To Vettel: We worry about Hamilton going long. Hamilton lap time 8.8. 24 To Leclerc: Bottas in front at nine-and-a-half, Verstappen behind 12 seconds. 25 To Vettel: Charles lap time 7.7. 26 Vettel: (Unclear) 26 To Vettel: Yes, copy that. 26 To Leclerc: OK you are doing a good job. 26 To Vettel: Vettel pits.

And box, Sebastian, box. 26 To Leclerc: And we need you to push, push this lap, push. Sebastian stopping now. 27 To Vettel: Vettel leaves the pits and comes out behind Leclerc.

Mode four, tight with Charles on exit. 26 To Leclerc: K1 plus available. Will be tight with Sebastian on exit.

However Vettel’s race didn’t last much longer. To his astonishment, a few corners after rejoining the track his MGU-K stopped working. The team identified a failure in his power unit’s insulation, which meant the car was unsafe, and told Vettel to stop immediately and get out.

Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 27 To Leclerc: Kubica in front should have blue flags. 27 Vettel: Turn six.

I’ve got no K. 27 To Vettel: I see it. 27 To Leclerc: So multi-function strat position. 27 Vettel: Turn 11.

Tell me something, I’ve got no K. 27 To Vettel: We’re looking into it, we know. 27 To Vettel: OK, copy. 27 To Vettel: Turn 13.

And box. Stop the car now. Stop the car now. 27 Vettel: You serious? 27 To Vettel: Yes. 27 Vettel: OK. Stopping now. 27 Vettel: Turn 15.

I’m stopped. Engine off. 27 To Vettel: And jump out safely, jump out safely. 27 To Vettel: P0 first and jump out safe… 27 Vettel: Yeah. Bring back the fucking V12s.

Vettel’s stoppage triggered a Virtual Safety Car period. Leclerc realised immediately this meant Hamilton, who had not yet pitted, would be able to make his mandatory pit stop and rejoin the track ahead of him.

A Safety Car period followed soon after the VSC interruption ended. Leclerc and Ferrari discussed whether to use this opportunity to pit for another set of soft tyres, which would cost them another position to Valtteri Bottas but potentially give them a better chance of attacking the cars ahead. After initially rejecting the idea, they changed their minds.

Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 28 To Leclerc: So Sebastian had an issue and he stopped at turn 17. Turn 15. 28 To Leclerc: Virtual Safety Car deployed. Stay positive. 28 Leclerc: Alright. 28 To Leclerc: Stay positive unto zero. 28 Leclerc: Hamilton is going to be in front, right? 28 To Leclerc: We believe so. 28 To Leclerc: Stay close to zero. 28 To Leclerc: And try to target minus thousand. Fuel numbers minus thousand. 28 To Leclerc: Stay positive, stay positive. 29 To Leclerc: So Hamilton is ahead on soft and Bottas behind on softs. 29 To Leclerc: Virtual Safety Car ending. K2 on. 29 To Leclerc: George Russell crashes.

There’s a yellow at turn nine. Yellow turn nine. 29 To Leclerc: Hamilton in front at 6.2. 29 Leclerc: Leclerc passes the crash scene.

That will be a Safety Car. Prepare maybe for tyres, no? 29 To Leclerc: Copy. 29 To Leclerc: Virtual Safety Car… Safety Car deployed. 29 Leclerc: Should we box? 29 To Leclerc: Slow button on. 29 Leclerc: I’ll let you choose. 29 To Leclerc: If we stop, we go behind Bottas. 29 Leclerc: Yeah but I don’t know do you think to be on new tyres will help more? 29 To Leclerc: Leclerc reaches the pit lane entrance.

Stay out, stay out. 29 Leclerc: Yeah, copy. 30 To Leclerc: Try to work on tyres and brakes. 30 To Leclerc: And target the fuel number. 30 To Leclerc: Hamilton in front at 3.3. 30 To Leclerc: Do you prefer to go behind Bottas with new softs, question? 30 Leclerc: I mean I’m OK with the medium at the moment. But will we drop from one more position if we stop on soft, or not? 30 To Leclerc: We’ll drop one position from Bottas, just Bottas. 30 Leclerc: Yeah maybe we should take the risk. 31 To Leclerc: Leclerc pits.

Slow button on and mode race. 31 To Leclerc: So we have Hamilton and Bottas in front with two lap soft tyres. Verstappen behind with two lap medium tyres.

However Leclerc found he was unable to pass Bottas, and finished the race a disappointed third.

Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 31 To Leclerc: And you can pre-select SOC 7. 32 To Leclerc: You are doing a good job on tyres and brakes. 32 To Leclerc: Engine braking minus two. Safety Car in this lap. Try to maximise full throttle and K2 on. 33 To Leclerc: K2 off. 33 To Leclerc: K1 plus available. 33 To Leclerc: K1 plus available. 34 To Leclerc: DRS enabled and K1 plus available. SOC 8 when you can. 35 To Leclerc: K1 plus available. 37 To Leclerc: SOC 6. 38 To Leclerc: Multi-function D O position four when you can. 38 To Leclerc: Diff in plus two, suggestion. 41 To Leclerc: K1 plus available. 42 To Leclerc: And diff mid plus one, suggestion. 44 To Leclerc: Multi-function mix position 10 when you can. 45 To Leclerc: And brake balance plus one, suggestion. 46 To Leclerc: And press oil button when you can. Eight laps to go. 46 Leclerc: Give me everything you have if there is anything more. 46 To Leclerc: Copy. 47 To Leclerc: Multi-function spark three. 47 To Leclerc: K1 plus available. 50 To Leclerc: Four laps to go. 50 To Leclerc: SOC 5. 50 Leclerc: Can we cool down lap? More or less cool down? To push for the fastest lap? 51 To Leclerc: So Verstappen behind is at 6.6. 51 Leclerc: What is the fastest lap? 51 To Leclerc: 36.3. 51 Leclerc: It is maybe do-able so I will try at least. 51 To Leclerc: Verstappen may stop to do it. 51 Leclerc: Yeah but let’s try ourselves to, no? 51 To Leclerc: If he doesn’t come in this lap we will do it. 51 To Leclerc: So Verstappen stayed out. Fastest lap 35.7. 51 Leclerc: Ah, 35.7 is not do-able. 52 To Leclerc: OK, understood. 52 To Leclerc: And SOC 1. Post-race To Leclerc: Leclerc takes the chequered flag.

OK, P3, well done, good job. Slow button on. Post-race Leclerc: Yeah copy, thank you. Post-race To Leclerc: Multi-function mix position two when you can. Post-race To Leclerc: And you need to go into the pit lane and the podium. Post-race Leclerc: Yes.

2019 F1 season