Team radio images not appreciated by the Spanish Grand Prix discovered when Max Verstappen seemed to inadvertently trigger his own fall behind the safety car.
He came then that the Red Bull driver called for being equipped with “fresh” tires for restarting, setting in motion his chaotic end to the race in Barcelona.
Max Verstappen unrelevant team radio reveals the influence behind the change of hard tire
Verstappen had been a threat to the main pair of McLaren by Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in Spain until a late security car upsets his race.
The reigning quadruple world champion was dismayed by Red Bull’s decision to pass it to hard tires for restarting, letting him look rather than before when the race has resumed.
Verstappen caught a dramatic slide at the exit of the last corner on the cold tires to the restart before taking a slight contact with the Ferrari by Charles Leclerc on the right pit.
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Having lost third place against Leclerc, Verstappen collided with Russell a few moments later while the Mercedes driver tried to capitalize on the situation with the Red Bull in the process of running.
Verstappen was bored by Red Bull’s request to give the post to Russell, initially slowing down the approach to turn 5 before going to speed and making firm contact with the Mercedes.
Verstappen received a 10 -second penalty for confrontation, letting it go from the fifth to the 10th of the final classification.
He also received three penalty points on his supervision, putting him A far from triggering a racing ban.
The non -appreciated team radio from Spain, heard by Planetf1.com, threw new light on the influence of Verstappen behind the call to go to hard tires before restarting, the Dutch insists on having “fresh” tires for the sprint on arrival.
When the security car is called after the retirement of Andrea Kimi Antonelli around 55, Verstappen is heard that a new set of tires “will make a difference” when the race finally resumes.
Verstappen’s racing engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, told its driver: “The security car deployed, Max.
Verstappen replies: “Do we have another set of tires? This will make a difference. Fresh tires.”
Lambiase adds: “OK, Max. Box and Pit Confirm. Strat 12 in the lane of the stands. Box, Pit Confirm, Strat 12 in the channel of the stands.”
Verstappen entered the Spanish Grand Prix with three series of new tires – a sweet, a medium, a hard – left in its allowance.
Having used its fresh softs and mediums earlier in the race, it meant that the hard compound was the only fresh option available for Verstappen for its last stand at the stand.
However, all the teams had struggled to change the hard tire throughout the Spanish GP weekend with the compound considered to be one to avoid at all costs on the day of the race.
Verstappen was the only driver to use the hard tire throughout the 66 -round race, the world champion left perplexed when he realized that the team had turned to him for the last six laps.
At the exit of Verstappen from the lane of the stands after its stop, Lambiase says: “Strat 3 please, max. White line at the outlet. Strat 3, white line at the exit.”
Verstappen: “Uh, what is the f ** k? What is this tire?”
Lambiase: “It’s the hard tire, Max.”
Verstappen: “Why are we hard?”
Lambiase: “It was the only option.”
Verstappen: “Did anyone run it in the race?”
Lambiase: “negative”.
Find out more about Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing from Planetf1.com
In a statement on Monday, team director Christian Horner revealed that Verstappen Excused with the team during debriefing after the Red Bull race.
And despite the suggestions that Verstappen should have played by staying under the security car, Horner defended the team’s choice of strategy at the end of the race, insisting that it was “the best decision at the time”.
He said: “Spain closes the triple header and we leave Barcelona frustrated not to have taken more from the race.
“As a team, we attacked the three stops, which was the best strategy and it was only the security car that made us.
“We would never have been so close to Lando (Norris) if it was not for the three traffic jams.
“The safety car was released at the worst time for our strategy, we had the choice to stay on older tires or take the bet with a new set of hard tires.
“The decline is still 20/20, but we made the best decision at the time with the information we had.
“The result that followed was frustrating because it seemed to be an easy podium for Max and good championship points.”
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