The airwaves around Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez were sizzling with anger, frustration and expletives during the final stages of the Mexican Grand Prix, as Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull duo Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen slugged it out, wheel-to-wheel for third place.
Auto Motor und Sport have managed to uncensor the ‘beeps’ and decipher the radio communications between the three drivers during the highly entertaining final laps in Mexico, plus obtain previously unaired communications between the trio during the heat of the moment.
On lap 68 Vettel attacks Verstappen for third place, the Ferrari driver slip-streaming up to the Red Bull down the main straight, Verstappen brakes late and is forced to cut the track, traveling over the grass, but emerges still ahead of the Ferrari.
What ensues is a ferocious battle between the trio, as well as choice radio communications between them and their respective teams.
Lap 68
Red Bull to Verstappen: Ok, give the position. I think you’re going to have to give the position back, Max
Verstappen: Let me know!
Red Bull to Verstappen: Ok, stay there!
Vettel: He has to let me go, he has to let me go.
Ferrari to Vettel: Ok, copy. Stay calm!
Vettel: No, it’s not right… I do not stay calm, because he is blocking me into Ricciardo
Ferrari to Vettel: Copy that.
Ferrari to Vettel: We’re on it with Charlie.
Ferrari to Vettel: Ok. Verstappen has to give you the position. Watch for Ricciardo behind!
Red Bull to Ricciardo: Okay mate, so let’s keep it smooth. Take advantage when you can.
Lap 69
Ferrari to Vettel: Three laps to go.
Vettel: Move! Move, for fucks sake!
Ferrari to Vettel: He has been informed. He has to move
Vettel: He’s a bastard, that’s what he is.
Red Bull to Verstappen: Alright mate, this is going to be investigated after the race, so keep your head down. Two laps to go.
Red Bull to Ricciardo: Ok, two laps to go. Battery is full. Let’s go!
Lap 70
Vettel: Am I the only one, or are you not seeing what I’m seeing? He’s just backing me up into Ricciardo. Fuck me.
Ferrari to Vettel: You have to fight with him. Charlie…
Vettel: What the hell are you talking about? He cut the chicane
Ferrari to Vettel: Ok, copy.
Vettel: And now, he’s brake-testing me.
Vettel: I mean, honestly, I’m going to hit someone. I think I have a puncture. Rear left.
Ricciardo: That was fucked. He moved on braking. I had already committed. Fuck.
Red Bull to Ricciardo: Ok, understood. Vettel may have a puncture.
Ferrari to Vettel: Tyres are fine. Tyres are fine.
Ferrari to Vettel: The car is fine, you can fight. The car is fine, you can fight
Vettel: He has to give me the position, end of the story.
Ferrari to Vettel: Charlie said that … Charlie said …
Vettel: Yeah… You know what, here’s the message for Charlie: Fuck off! Honestly. Fuck off!
Arrivabene to Vettel: Sebastian, Sebastian… calm down! They are under investigation. I know it’s not fair. But calm down. Put your head down and we will talk afterwards.
Vettel: Ok, copy Maurizio.
Lap 71
Red Bull to Verstappen: Ok Max, last lap. Gap to Sebastian 1.7 seconds.
Red Bull to Ricciardo: Ok mate, this is the load-Lap now. Tire pressures are fine. This is the load-lap.
Ricciardo: I’ve got a massive vibration. How is the gap behind?
Red Bull to Ricciardo: Yeah, of understood. You’ve got a 30 seconds gap to Raikkonen. Keep up the pace in case Vettel gets a penalty. You’ve got no threat from behind. Try to keep within five seconds if possible.
Ferrari to Vettel: Ricciardo has lost pace behind. He’s 2.7 seconds behind. Try to stay as close as possible in case of five second penalty at the end. This is the load-lap.
Chgequered flag and slowdown lap
Red Bull to Verstappen: Max What can I say mate. Amazing job. Amazing job. Really well done
Verstappen: That was hard.
Red Bull to Verstappen: 59 laps you did on that set. Fantastic.
Horner to Verstappen: Well done Maxie, what a fantastic drive. No debate about Turn 1. Ferrari were moaning about it, but you were well ahead and it was a lot less than Rosberg did at the beginning of the race. Great drive, you managed it well, and it was a great effort on Nico as well.
Verstappen: Yeah, thank you very much Christian. It was very hard the last 10 laps. But at the end I think it is a very good result.
Red Bull to Verstappen: Cool the car on the way to Max! And just a reminder: You will be stopping with Hamilton and Rosberg at turn 13 in the stadium. Enjoy it!
Ferrari to Vettel: P4, P4 … slow and cool your brakes!
Vettel: I think I showed enough. I mean, it’s not a walk in the park. So to me it is clear. That’s the load what I’m saying.
Arrivabene to Vettel: Sebastian we understand, we talk afterwards and we are going to talk with FIA. You’ve done a great race, really. I am proud of you.
Vettel to Ferrari: Grazie ragazzi. The car was great, strategy worked well. Shame about yesterday because the pace was there to do more. Grazie.
Red Bull to Ricciardo: Nice job you did mate.
Ricciardo: Yeah, but what about all these guys out-braking themselves at the first chicane? I mean Lewis at the start and Max the same. Put a fucking wall there and they will not do it. That’s bullshit guys. Fucking kindergarten stuff.
Red Bull to Ricciardo: Ok mate, understood. You did a very, very good job today. Pace was excellent. As I said, we are speaking to Charlie.
Horner to Ricciardo: Daniel that was as blatant a move as we’ve ever seen. The event notes are very, very clear. I don’t think you’ve got anything to fear. It was a great effort that you’ve put in and it was a great move that should have made stick.
Red Bull to Ricciardo: Ok Daniel, we’re driving straight around to the pit entry. I let you have a chat with Vettel when you get there.
They crossed the finish line with Verstappen third, Vettel fourth and Ricciardo in fifth.
Verstappen was first victim of the race stewards after the race – a penalty for cutting the track while dueling with Vettel – and was asked to leave the pre-podium room as a five seconds penalty promoted Vettel to third, Ricciardo to fourth and demoted the Dutchman to fifth.
Vettel celebrated exuberantly on the podium with the Mercedes duo, race winner Lewis Hamilton and second placed Nico Rosberg. But a few hours later the race stewards penalised the Ferrari driver for aggressive defending during his tussle with Ricciardo, the ten seconds penalty he received dropped him to fifth in the standings
This then promoted Ricciardo to third and Verstappen to fourth. That evening the pair, with their Red Bull crew, made their way to the darkened podium and held their own ceremony in front of the deserted stadium stands which hours earlier was heaving with colour, passion and enthusiastic Formula 1 fans.
Read the full story at GRAND PRIX 247
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