How did Ferrari end up handing victory in the Singapore Grand Prix from one driver to another?

Was Charles Leclerc given the chance to win the race? How did the team react when he asked them if it was their plan to leave Sebastian Vettel ahead?

Many RaceFans readers have asked in the comments and via social media to see more of what went on in the team’s radio discussions during the race. So by popular demand, here’s the full transcript of the radio communications to both drivers from lights out until the cars were back in parc ferme.

The race began with Leclerc leading Lewis Hamilton and Vettel from pole position. As Leclerc explained afterwards, Ferrari’s tactics at this stage were to run a deliberately slow pace. This kept the field bunched up tightly behind them, leaving no gaps for their rivals to make a pit stop, come out in clear air, and use their fresher tyres to ‘undercut’ the Ferraris.

Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 1 To Vettel: K2 off 1 To Leclerc: Gap to Hamilton behind 1.4. 1 To Vettel: You are OK to attack again, higher SOC position 1 Vettel: What was that? 1 To Vettel: You are OK to attack again, higher SOC position 1 To Vettel: Push the red button once. 2 To Leclerc: Gap to Hamilton behind 1.2. 2 To Vettel: Do not touch the oil button. Oil fine for now. 3 To Leclerc: DRS enabled 3 To Leclerc: Gap to Hamilton behind 1.5. 3 Leclerc: Yeah, let me know 3 To Vettel: DRS is enabled. Verstappen 0.9 behind, one second behind. 3 To Leclerc: Gap to Hamilton behind 1.3. 3 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind 1.1 seconds. 3 To Vettel: Verstappen one second behind. Current lap time 48.5 4 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind at 1.4. 4 Leclerc: Is pace OK like this? 4 To Leclerc: Target 49.5 4 To Leclerc: Hamilton with DRS. 4 To Vettel: Verstappen one second behind. Target lap time 49.5 5 To Leclerc: Hamilton with DRS. 5 To Vettel: Verstappen 1.1 behind. Current lap time 49.4. 5 To Vettel: Verstappen 1.3 behind, no DRS. 5 To Leclerc: K1 plus available if you need it. Hamilton with DRS. 6 To Leclerc: Hamilton with DRS. 6 To Leclerc: Hamilton with DRS again. 6 To Vettel: Verstappen (unclear) lap time 49.3. 6 To Leclerc: And this pace is good. Hamilton behind at 1.1. 7 To Vettel: Verstappen one second behind. Charles lap time (unclear). 7 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind with DRS. 7 To Leclerc: Hamilton with DRS. 8 To Leclerc: Hamilton with DRS. 8 To Vettel: Verstappen 1.1 behind with DRS. Charles 49.2. 9 To Leclerc: Hamilton with DRS. 9 To Leclerc: Hamilton with DRS. Tyre phase update when you can. 10 To Vettel: Verstappen 0.8 behind, Charles lap time 9.7. Update your tyre switch when you can.

As the pit stops drew nearer, Ferrari began to reduce the lap time target. However they did so very slowly: The 1’48.5 target Leclerc was given on lap 15 was still over a second slower than Nico Hulkenberg had gone on lap four.

Leclerc initially lapped slightly quicker than that target, then backed off. His average lap time between the instruction and his pit stop was 1’48.7.

However the team was still biding its time. By this stage a gap had opened up behind Leclerc which Ferrari could have brought him into, as they confirmed on lap 16, but for now they left him out.

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Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 10 To Leclerc: Target lap time 49.0 10 Leclerc: 49 point two? 10 To Leclerc: Point zero, point zero. 11 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind at 1.6. 12 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind at 1.6. 12 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind at two seconds. 12 To Leclerc: And FS4 when you can. 13 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind at 1.3. 13 To Vettel: Break-up in the onboard video means some preceding messages from Vettel may have been missed.

Verstappen 1.1 behind. Last lap time 49.4. multi-function minus two clicks. 13 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind at 1.4. 13 Leclerc: Let me know about the gap. 13 To Leclerc: Copy. 14 To Vettel: Verstappen 1.2 behind. 14 To Leclerc: And Hamilton with DRS. Pit stop gap 11 seconds. 14 Vettel: Are the gaps after P6 opening or not? 14 To Vettel: Not opening yet. Charles will start pushing soon. 14 To Leclerc: Hamilton with DRS. 15 To Leclerc: Leclerc did a 1’48.3, then a 1’47.8. Having gone under target he then backed off to a 1’49.1 and 1’49.6.

And back to mode race. Target lap time: 48.5. 15 To Leclerc: And Hamilton with DRS. 15 To Vettel: Update your tyre switch. 15 To Leclerc: And front wing update when you can. 15 Leclerc: Minus two. 16 To Vettel: This refers to the lap before Leclerc’s instruction to do a 1’48.5.

Charles lap 8.7 16 To Leclerc: Pit stop gap 15 seconds. 16 Leclerc: I can pit? 16 To Leclerc: Yes you can. 16 To Leclerc: Gap to Hamilton behind 1.8. 17 To Leclerc: Gap to Hamilton behind two seconds.

Ferrari made the call to bring Vettel in on lap 19. They gave him the instruction at the last possible moment – turn 20, shortly before the pit entry – to guard against Hamilton ahead of him reacting by pitting.

Vettel’s pit stop was surely motivated by the fact Max Verstappen behind him had dropped back slightly, and the expectation Red Bull would pit him into the gap which had opened up. However with Leclerc still managing the pace at the front, that meant the fresh-tyre pace Vettel had on his out-lap allowed him to ‘undercut’ his team mate.

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Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 17 To Vettel: Charles lap time 8.3. Update tyre switch. 17 To Vettel: Verstappen 1.2 behind. 17 To Leclerc: Gap to Hamilton behind 1.7. 18 To Leclerc: Gap to Hamilton behind 1.5. 18 To Vettel: Copy tyre phase. Charles lap time 7.8 18 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind 1.7. 18 To Vettel: Verstappen 1.5 behind. 18 To Leclerc: Hamilton 1.4 18 To Vettel: Verstappen two seconds behind, struggling, update on front wing when you can. 18 Vettel: Go down on front wing. 18 To Vettel: OK. 18 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind at 1.1. 19 To Leclerc: Pit stop gap 18 seconds. 19 Vettel: Go down three clicks. 19 To Vettel: Copy that. 19 To Vettel: Charles lap time 9.0 19 To Leclerc: Hamilton behind at 1.2. Hamilton with DRS. 19 To Vettel: Turn 20

Box Sebastian, box now. 19 To Leclerc: Vettel pits

And Hamilton with DRS. K1 plus available if you need it. 20 To Leclerc: Hamilton with DRS. 20 To Vettel: In pits

Mode box, mode box. 20 To Vettel: On the white line, racing Hulkenberg. 20 To Vettel: Push on the out lap. You are in free air.

Leclerc wasn’t even sure he was supposed to pit when Ferrari brought him in on the next lap. His pit stop forced Hamilton to stay out, hoping in vain he might get lucky with a Safety Car.

After Leclerc rejoined and discovered Vettel was in front of him, he asked the team whether they intended to leave the cars in that order. In Hungary Vettel had jumped ahead of Leclerc via the ‘undercut’ in much the same way, but Ferrari told him to let his team mate by again. This did not happen in Singapore.

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Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 20 To Leclerc: Turn 13

And mode box. Hamilton with DRS. 20 To Vettel: You are racing Hamilton, and push. 20 Leclerc: Box this lap or not? 20 To Leclerc: Box now, box. Box now, box. 20 To Leclerc: K2 on. 21 To Leclerc: And reset brake balance, reset diff. Will be close on Sebastian on exit. 21 To Vettel: SOC 2. 21 Vettel: We cleared him already did we? 21 To Vettel: Not yet. Push. Half a second. 21 To Leclerc: Leclerc rejoins the track behind Vettel.

And K2 off, K2 off. 21 To Vettel: SOC 2 and push. 21 To Leclerc: We need to push as much as you can. 21 Leclerc: Yeah but what the hell? I mean… 21 To Leclerc: We are tight with Hamilton. 21 To Vettel: Hamilton didn’t come in. 47.0 his lap time. 21 To Leclerc: Hamilton did not pit yet. 22 To Vettel: We are one second ahead, one second ahead. 22 Leclerc: Is it the plan that it stays like this or what? 22 To Leclerc: We’ll come back to you. 22 To Leclerc: So we need to wait until Hamilton done the pit stop. 22 Leclerc: OK but if I need to push more then I can, just so you know. 22 To Leclerc: Copy, understood.

Stuck behind his team mate, Leclerc pointed out that his tyres were suffering. At this point the team’s sporting director Laurent Mekies entered the radio discussion, telling Leclerc “it’s all good”.

This created an degree of confusion on the pit wall – at one point Leclerc had two people taking to him at once:

Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 22 To Vettel: You are two seconds ahead. 23 To Vettel: Hamilton lap time 7.3. 23 To Leclerc: Hamilton did not pit yet. Hamilton did not pit. 23 Leclerc: What [unclear]? 23 Leclerc: Destroying my tyres. 23 To Vettel: Hamilton lap time 7.9. 23 To Leclerc: Laurent Mekies

Charles it’s Laurent, take care of your tyres, the race is long, it’s all good. 24 To Leclerc: I continue, I continue. 24 To Leclerc: Two people spoke to Leclerc at once

At the moment we are ahead of Hamilton/The race is long, Charles, It’s all good. 24 Leclerc: (Unclear, complaining that two people are talking to him) 24 To Vettel: Hamilton lap time 8.5, 48.5. 25 Leclerc: (Unclear) …I’ll let you know. 25 To Vettel: Racing Stroll in front. 25 Leclerc: I’m destroying my tyres. Not even sure if I can finish the race like this. 25 To Leclerc: Copy, understood. You need to save your tyres for the end of the race.

Hamilton made his pit stop and came out well behind the Ferraris and Verstappen. Vettel and Leclerc made their way past a few midfielders who hadn’t pitted, and were now leading the field.

Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 25 To Vettel: You are six seconds safe to Hamilton. And save your tyres. 25 To Vettel: Hamilton lap time 39.1. 25 To Vettel: SOC 6, oil 7 to attack Stroll. 25 To Vettel: Hamilton reported that his tyre are falling to bits. 26 To Leclerc: Hamilton needs to pit. Hamilton still needs to pit. 26 To Leclerc: Verstappen behind at one second. 26 To Vettel: Hamilton is coming in. Not critical any more to overtake Stroll. I leave it to you. 27 To Leclerc: Hamilton just pitted now. And will be six seconds behind. 27 To Vettel: Vettel passes Stroll.

Well done Seb. Now breathe for brakes. Next will be Ricciardo, two seconds in front. 27 To Vettel: Tyres are stable. Sliding speeds are under control. 27 To Leclerc: Stroll in front did not stop yet. You are racing Stroll. Used tyres. 28 To Vettel: BB plus one for brake temps. 28 To Vettel: Charles is still behind Stroll. Manage your brakes. 29 To Leclerc: Now next car in front is Ricciardo, he still needs to box, he needs to pit now. 29 To Vettel: Try to take more care of the rears on 13, one-three, and exit of three. Look after rear slips turn 13, one-three, and three. 30 To Leclerc: And manage your brakes 30 To Vettel: Brake balance minus one click. 30 To Vettel: Giovinazzi next. Giovinazzi lap time 8.7, 48.7. 31 To Leclerc: And we need to manage brakes when you can. 31 To Vettel: We are in free air now. No one in front. 31 To Leclerc: So you are racing Gasly in front, he still needs to pit. 31 To Vettel: Reset your tyre phase, Save your tyres. 31 Vettel: Which tyre was the limitation, stint before? 31 To Vettel: Was the rear-right. 32 To Vettel: SOC 6. 32 To Vettel: Hamilton lap time 48.8, he’s out on hard. 32 To Leclerc: Now racing Giovinazzi in front, he still needs to pit. 32 To Vettel: Focus on 13, where you are, in exit, for slips. And also turn three again. 33 To Vettel: Multi-function plus three clicks. 33 To Leclerc: And now Sebastian in front is at 6.6 and his lap time is 46.9. 33 To Vettel: Charles is 6.5 behind. 33 To Leclerc: And we need engine two, engine two. Think about tyres for the end of the race. 34 To Vettel: And engine two. Charles lap time 6.6. 34 To Leclerc: Press oil button when you can, press oil button.

A collision between Romain Grosjean and George Russell left the Williams in the wall. A Safety Car could only hurt Vettel’s race at this point, and he made it clear he didn’t think one was necessary. Race control disagreed, however.

Another disagreement was going on in his team mate’s car, as Leclerc continued to make his feelings known about the team’s tactics:

Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 34 To Leclerc: Sebastian lap time: 46.0. 35 To Vettel: Charles lap time 5.2, Verstappen lap time 5.9, he is three seconds behind Charles, and Hamilton six seconds behind Verstappen. 35 To Leclerc: And think about tyres for the end of the race. Places to save: turn three and 21. 36 To Leclerc: And think about tyres for the end of the race. 36 To Vettel: Grosjean and Russell collide, leaving Russell’s car in the barrier at turn eight.

Double yellow turn eight. Could be a Safety Car. Exit in turn eight someone in the barrier. 36 Vettel: Ah it’s fine, we don’t need a Safety Car there. 36 To Vettel: Copy. No need of Safety Car. 36 To Leclerc: There will be a yellow turn seven. Double yellow turn eight. Debris at the left-hand side. 36 To Vettel: Safety Car, stay out. Charles… 36 Vettel: Where do we come out if we pit? 36 To Vettel: Lose four positions. Stay out. 36 To Leclerc: Safety Car deployed. 36 Leclerc: Do you think we can box? 36 To Leclerc: Stay positive. Staying out. Slow button on. 36 To Vettel: And engine one, pre-select. 36 To Leclerc: You can press engine one and work on the tyres. 37 To Vettel: Try to work on your tyres to keep them in temperature, especially the fronts. 37 To Vettel: Verstappen and Hamilton stayed out. 37 To Leclerc: Everyone stayed out. 37 To Vettel: Hamilton lap time was a 45.4, he’s on hards. 37 Leclerc: To be completely honest with you I don’t understand at all the undercut. But whatsoever I will discuss after the race. Anyway. 37 To Leclerc: Laurent Mekies

Charles it was the best thing we could do. Head down, the race is long. Let’s concentrate on Safety Car. You are doing a super job. Watch your tyres and head down. 37 Leclerc: Yeah my head is down and it will be down until the race. But I just want to let you know my feeling. 37 To Leclerc: Laurent Mekies

Yeah it’s all good, Charles. You will understand after the race. 37 Leclerc: Then we can fight, right? 37 To Leclerc: Pause

Don’t risk anything. You can attack, but don’t risk anything. 37 Leclerc: Copy. 37 To Vettel: Multi-function mix position 11. 37 To Vettel: We will be racing Charles at the restart. Give each other space, don’t take any risks. I have a RB multi-function by RB position change for you. Position five. 38 To Leclerc: You need to work more on the tyres to have them ready. 38 To Vettel: Antonio Giovinazzi was peanlised for driving too close to the crane.

There’s a crane at turn eight, be careful, stay to the right at turn eight. 38 To Leclerc: There is a crane at turn eight. Watch for the crane at turn eight. Stay to the right. There is a crane there. 38 To Leclerc: And try to heat up your rear brakes with brake balance. 38 To Vettel: Try to work more on your tyres. 39 To Leclerc: We need multi-function position mix 10. You are doing a good job with the tyres. 39 To Vettel: Work more on your tyres.

Ferrari were clearly concerned Leclerc might do something rash when the race restarted and he had the opportunity to attack his team mate:

Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 39 To Vettel: Lapped cars may now overtake, will be only Sainz from behind. 39 To Leclerc: Lapped car may overtake now, will be Sainz. 39 To Vettel: Sainz at turn 13. 39 To Vettel: Sainz behind you, watch your mirrors, let him by. Keep working on your tyres. 39 To Leclerc: Sainz is coming now, he may overtake. And try to work on the front tyres. You can reset your brake balance. 40 To Leclerc: Suggestion SOC 7. Safety Car in the lap. And K2 on. 40 To Leclerc: Laurent Mekies

OK Charles we are P1 and P2. You have Verstappen and Hamilton behind. No risk at all, please. 40 To Leclerc: Keep working on your tyres, mainly the fronts. Safety Car in this lap, we’ll need K2 on. Remember brake balance. 40 To Vettel: 22 laps to go. Safety Car in this lap. We need K2 on. 40 To Vettel: Keep working on your tyres. 41 To Vettel: K2 on for the start. 41 To Leclerc: The race restarts.

K2 off 41 To Vettel: Charles is one second behind. 43 To Vettel: There’s 19 laps to go, and manage your tyres to the end. 44 To Leclerc: Yellow at turn 13. 44 To Leclerc: Yellow at turn 13. 44 To Vettel: Hamilton lap time 46.5 and Verstappen 45.8. 44 To Leclerc: Be careful there’s a guy working on the road. Safety Car deployed. Slow button on. 44 To Leclerc: Stay out, work on your tyres. 44 To Vettel: Yellow flag turn 13, car stopped there in exit. Safety Car, stay out. Charge button on. 44 To Leclerc: And we need secondary RB position five. 45 To Vettel: Tyres (unclear) 45 To Vettel: Stay positive. Staying out. Slow button on.

Leclerc was reminded again to take care if he went after Vettel:

Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 45 To Leclerc: There’s a crane on track at turn 14. 45 To Leclerc: You can preselect mode FW. There is a crane at turn 14. 45 To Vettel: Multi B white RB position seven. Crane out of 14. 45 To Leclerc: And for the restart we do SOC 7 again. That will help. 45 Leclerc: For now I have SOC 6. 45 To Leclerc: Copy. 45 Leclerc: I want everything. Even engine mode. 45 To Leclerc: Laurent Mekies

Charles we need to bring the car home. We need to manage the PU and bring the car home. 45 Leclerc: Yeah, yeah, no problem. 45 Leclerc: I won’t do anything stupid. It’s not my goal. I want us to finish one-two. I just think it’s not fair. But this won’t change. I won’t be stupid. 46 To Vettel: You can go to mode FW. 46 To Leclerc: Need to heat up the brakes. 46 To Leclerc: And try to work on the front tyres. 46 To Vettel: Push the red button. 47 To Vettel: You are doing a good job with tyres now, better than before, good job. 47 To Leclerc: Safety Car in this lap. Try to do some full throttle at the end. We know it’s difficult but try to do it. And we need secondary RB position one. 47 To Leclerc: Try to work on the front tyres. 47 To Vettel: Safety Car in this lap, reset your multi positions. 47 Vettel: Copy. 47 To Vettel: And we’ll be K2 on. 47 To Vettel: Try to clean it out of nine and 13. 47 To Vettel: Think about your brake balance settings for the start. 48 To Vettel: Reminder K2 on. 48 To Leclerc: The race restarts again.

K2 off.

The Safety Car came out again. Leclerc was briefly concerned they might not hit the lap time delta because of how much Vettel had backed off.

Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 49 To Leclerc: K1 plus available. 49 To Vettel: Multi-function BO position nine, Charles 1.3 behind. 50 To Leclerc: 12 laps to go. And DRS enabled. 50 To Leclerc: K1 plus available. 50 To Leclerc: Safety Car deployed. Stay positive. Slow button on. Stay positive. Staying out, staying out. 50 Leclerc: We are way over the target. Can Seb go? 50 To Leclerc: We’ll come back to you. 50 To Leclerc: And we need secondary RB position five. 50 To Leclerc: The incident was at turn two, one and two. 51 To Vettel: Safety Car again, was a contact at turn one, stay positive. Charge button on. And stay out. 51 To Leclerc: Keep working the tyres. 51 To Vettel: Stay positive. Contact between Kimi and Kvyat at turn one. 51 To Vettel: Keep working on your tyres as you did before. 51 To Leclerc: You are doing a good job with the tyres. Safety Car in this lap. Secondary RB position one. And we will need K2 on. 51 To Leclerc: We’ll need K2 on. Safety car in this lap. 51 To Vettel: Safety Car in this lap. Will be K2 on at the start. 52 To Vettel: And K2 on. 52 To Vettel: K2 off. 52 To Leclerc: Nine laps to go, nine laps. 53 To Leclerc: Use K1 plus, not K1, K1 plus.

There were fewer messages over the run to the chequered flag:

Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) 53 To Vettel: Nine laps to go. 54 To Leclerc: And DRS enabled. 55 To Leclerc: Use K1 plus to defend. 55 To Vettel: Focus on turn 13 exit, where you are, for rear tyre slips. 55 To Leclerc: We need to manage the power unit. Use K1 plus to defend. 55 Leclerc: I need to use (unclear). 56 To Leclerc: Verstappen behind at two seconds, Sebastian in front one point (unclear). 56 To Vettel: Turn 13 was better last lap, better at turn 13, well done. 56 To Vettel: You’ve just done the fastest lap. Six to go. 56 To Leclerc: We need multi-function mix 11. 57 To Vettel: Multi-function mix position 12 when you can. 57 To Vettel: Charles lap time 5.3, Bottas 5.0. 58 To Vettel: Multi B green mode position nine. Don’t take any risks. 58 To Leclerc: And we need secondary MOD position nine. 59 To Vettel: Three to go. 59 To Vettel: (Unclear, update on fastest lap times) 60 To Leclerc: We need engine four. Two laps to go. 60 To Vettel: Engine four. 61 To Leclerc: This is last lap. SOC 1. 61 To Vettel: Last lap. 61 To Vettel: Torque one is available.

Team principal Mattia Binotto came on the radio to speak to both drivers after they took the chequered flag, though their moods contrasted sharply:

Lap Exchange Message (notes in italics) Post-race To Vettel: Yes Sebastian! P1. Nice job. One and two for Ferrari. Aweseome job. Well done. Post-race To Leclerc: Chequered flag.

Slow button on. P2. Post-race Leclerc: Yeah, I know. It’s OK. We speak later. Post-race To Leclerc: Copy, understood. Post-race To Vettel: And cool the brakes. Post-race Vettel: Grazie ragazzi. Grande gara. Forza Ferrari sempre. Grazie mille. Un saluto a Maranello, grazie per i pezzi. Che performance qui a Singapore, grazie. La macchina è stata grande, quasi come voi. (Thank you guys. Great race. Forward Ferrari always. Thanks a lot. Greetings to Maranello, thanks for the updates What a performance here in Singapore, thanks. The car was great, like you.) Thank you guys, all of you. Post-race To Vettel: Mattia Binotto

Seb, contentissimo per te. (Seb, I am very happy for you.) Bravo, bravo, bravo. Post-race To Leclerc: Bravo Charles. Sono Mattia. Sono contento anche per te. Adesso vai a podio e giosci. (Bravo Charles. It’s Mattia. I am happy also for you. Now go to the podium and enjoy.) Post-race Leclerc: (Exhales) Post-race To Leclerc: Punto. (Full stop.) Post-race To Vettel: Enjoy the fireworks. Here is awesome as usual. You are the lion of Singapore. How many wins do you have? Many. Post-race Vettel: Five, five. Post-race To Vettel: Five for car number five. Post-race Vettel: Exactly, grazie. Post-race To Vettel: Well done. Post-race To Leclerc: And you need to go into the pit lane and under the podium. Post-race Leclerc: Yeah, OK. Post-race To Vettel: And go in the pit lane. Post-race Vettel: Copy. Post-race To Leclerc: And go to P0, P0. Post-race To Leclerc: Go to P0, P0.

2019 F1 season