Max Verstappen made sure Red Bull did not miss an opportunity to use his team mate tactically on his way to victory in the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.
After Oscar Piastri pitted from second place, Red Bull told race leader Verstappen one of the cars he had fallen behind belonged to his team mate Yuki Tsunoda. Verstappen immediately told Red Bull to pass a message along to Tsunoda about what he should do.
Red Bull were already well on top of the case, however. Tsunoda’s race engineer Richard Wood told him to be ready to delay Piastri as soon as the McLaren headed into the pits. Piastri’s pit stop was slow, and so he likely took longer to catch Tsunoda than Red Bull predicted, but once he did they issued a second instruction to hold the McLaren up:
| Lap: 13/63 TSU: 1’22.619 |
| Wood |
Okay, so Leclerc. Russell and Sainz have boxed early, they were suffering from rear deg on the medium tyre as well. |
| Tsunoda |
I think it’s not easy to go on plan A. |
| Lap: 14/63 TSU: 1’22.874 |
| Speaker 1 |
Okay so Piastri will be coming out behind you. He was racing Max at the front of the race, so don’t make his life easy. |
| Tsunoda |
So I prefer plan B. |
| Lap: 15/63 TSU: 1’22.856 |
| Wood |
So we’re looking at options, but keep on top of your management just now. |
| Lap: 16/63 TSU: 1’22.732 |
| Tsunoda |
I feel like if I have free air, I think I have pace. |
| Wood |
Yeah, copy that. Keep on top of your management. You’re doing a good job. |
| Wood |
Approaching Rivazza
So car behind is Piastri, 1.5 seconds, he is Max’s race, so do your best to hold him up. |
| Lap: 18/63 TSU: 1’23.625 |
| Wood |
Piastri passes Tsunoda at Tamburello
Okay so the car behind us now is Leclerc, 2.3 behind. He is the first of the two-stoppers. Keep on top of your management. |
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Piastri pursued Verstappen over the opening stint after the Red Bull driver passed him for the lead at the start.
Although Piastri’s radio messages indicate McLaren thought Red Bull might join them make an early first pit stop, Verstappen’s radio messages show they did not consider this. His race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase pointed out there were no suitable gaps between traffic he might emerge into if he pitted:
| Lap: 1/63 VER: 1’22.992 |
| Lambiase |
And mode six, Max. |
| Lap: 2/63 VER: 1’21.131 |
| Lambiase |
DRS, enabled. Gap 1.3. Display eight when you can. |
| Lap: 3/63 VER: 1’21.258 |
| Lambiase |
1.4 |
| Lap: 4/63 VER: 1’21.218 |
| Lambiase |
1.5 |
| Lambiase |
All your trade-offs at the moment, Max, are looking good. Keep it up. |
| Lap: 5/63 VER: 1’21.228 |
| Lambiase |
1.6 |
| Lambiase |
Piastri beginning to push sector one a little. The gap 1.4. |
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| Lap: 7/63 VER: 1’21.496 |
| Lambiase |
Max, just see if you can pick a line through turn one and across Safety Car line two. |
| Lambiase |
Verstappen drives more to the left at turn one than the previous lap
That was very good, Max, thank you. Keep that line. |
| Lap: 8/63 VER: 1’21.206 |
| Lambiase |
Gap is 1.7 |
| Lap: 9/63 VER: 1’21.194 |
| Lambiase |
Okay Max, race update, the only spread really is to Russell, it’s a DRS train pretty much behind Russell. And the gap to Russell, 4.7. |
| Lap: 10/63 VER: 1’21.257 |
| Lambiase |
Max looking across an average of laps, we’re pushing two, giving up three relative to Piastri. Piastri pushing nine a lot more than us. |
| Lap: 11/63 VER: 1’21.289 |
| Lambiase |
Your management in… |
| Verstappen |
Interrupts
I can’t really push three, mate, the car snaps on me. |
| Lambiase |
Okay, understood, that’s fine. The other thing, we are managing well in 11, just don’t let it affect your braking into 12 too much. The gap is 2.1. That is 10 laps complete. |
| Lambiase |
So Norris now past Russell. Russell struggling with rear-right. So for us, just keep on top of your current plan. Everything under control, any concerns? |
| Lap: 12/63 VER: 1’21.510 |
| Verstappen |
Er, yeah, all under control for now. |
| Lambiase |
Okay, understood. Gap 2.6. Piastri’s last two laps, 21.7. |
Once Piastri pitted, Verstappen’s attention switched to Norris, who wasn’t able to make significant inroads into his lead before pitting:
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| Lap: 13/63 VER: 1’21.435 |
| Lambiase |
Gap 2.7. |
| Lambiase |
Info, Piastri has been told to push, we are happy as you are for now. So, Piastri is in pit lane. Continue as you are, Max. Piastri will come out behind a train of four cars including Yuki. |
| Lap: 14/63 VER: 1’21.402 |
| Verstappen |
Ah, tell Yuki not to make it too [unclear] |
| Lambiase |
Norris free air, 21.3. Gap to Norris across the line 10.5. Can I have a front flap update for the next stint please? |
| Verstappen |
Yeah, perfect on this tyre. |
| Lambiase |
Okay. |
| Lap: 15/63 VER: 1’21.231 |
| Speaker 1 |
Gap to Norris 10.4. |
| Lap: 16/63 VER: 1’21.276 |
| Lambiase |
Norris, 10.2. |
| Lap: 17/63 VER: 1’21.024 |
| Lambiase |
Main loss to Norris turn nine, turn 12. |
| Lambiase |
Yeah, confirmed, turn six, turn nine, turn 12. |
| Lap: 18/63 VER: 1’20.856 |
| Lambiase |
This is a strong lap, Max. So find your comfort zone between your rhythm before and this last lap but keep on top of slips. Gap is back up to 9.9. |
| Lap: 21/63 VER: 1’21.115 |
| Lambiase |
20 laps complete. |
| Lap: 27/63 VER: 1’21.316 |
| Lambiase |
That’s good pace Max, keep it up. |
| Lambiase |
Gap is 9.5. |
| Lap: 28/63 VER: 1’21.579 |
| Lambiase |
Norris pits
Gap 9.7. Everything you’ve got, Max. Everything you’ve got this lap. |
| Lap: 29/63 VER: 1’32.728 |
| Verstappen |
There’s a car stopped. |
| Lambiase |
Understood. |
| Lambiase |
VSC deployed, Max, dash positive, dash positive and we are boxing this lap. Box this lap. Strat 12 in pit lane. Strat 12 in pit lane. |
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