Bonjour a tout le monde et bienvenue dans le nouvel épisode de Formula 1 Radio!
I’m sorry, mes amis français, each time I always get too influenced by the local languages. 

By the way, after the big big episode in Canada, hard to replicate, we will try our best to entertain you with some new, amazing, hilarious team radios. Ready? 

Nico Hulkenberg - “There's something BBQing here.” (FP1)

Well take a burger and some chicken please, Nico 🍔 🍗 🤔#F1 #FranceGP 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/Fv2YpWW7BM

— Formula 1 (@F1) 21 giugno 2019

Oh, no, I wasn’t referring to that, but I’m sure Daniel Ricciardo can organize a “barbie” (as they say in Australia) in less than an hour if you want, Nico. 

If you have a barbie, beers are necessary. 

“Don’t forget to drink.”
Daniel Ricciardo - “Yeah, it’s not connected, I’ll just try.” (Race) 

Sir Jackie says: “When you drive, never drink”, but I don’t think that’s the case. Anyway, happy birthday Sir Jackie!

What do we need to organize a drivers party? It is going to be a private one, so we need some bodyguards..

Lewis Hamilton - “I never thought it, but Sam you can be a security guard.” (Pre-race)

Thanks Lewis, that’s nice of you. 

But before we start, let’s finish the Grand Prix, right? 

Do you remember in our latest editions, Kimi in Montréal, Antonio in Barcelona, and others, they were all complaining about strange cables or pieces hanging in the cockpit. And it happened again. 

Daniil Kvyat - “So there’s something loose hanging on my left feet.”
“Okay, we will check.” (FP1)

Is this a conspiracy? Someone who wants to threaten our beloved drivers? 

Pierre Gasly - “Could you just check in my seat, I have something that scratch my back a bit.” (Pre-race)

Lewis Hamilton - “Something’s broken in my seat.” (Race)

Who is hiding behind this? Someone who has access to all the garages, maybe. And someone who knows that it is better to leave the Haas drivers out of this, they are very irascible. 

I can only think of one person to do this, and he already showed his hacker skills with his team mate.

When the beat drops 🎶@LandoNorris #F1 pic.twitter.com/GZ9RDTWdOc

— Formula 1 (@F1) 24 giugno 2019

Lando, is that you, you funny guy? If he doesn’t win the battle for the Formula 1 Radio throne, he already won the social media one. 

But coming back to our favorite pair of drivers, Kevin Magnussen had a really bad weekend in Montréal and, after his crash during Quali, he had to deal with an unbalanced VF19. His complaining made Guenther speak on the radio (and we were sooooo happy), so now Kevin learned his lesson and tried not to become the Hulk- version of himself.

“How is that balance now?”
Kevin Magnussen - “Better, but it’s still.. the rear is still…”
“Okay, still nervous.” (FP1) 

The balance, that is what is still nervous, not him. No, we can assure you that no Kevin Magnussen was traumatized after the Canadian Grand Prix, we swear. 

On the other side, his team mate… well, he is Romain Grosjean, I don’t need to say more.

Romain Grosjean - “Can you check the vibrations level.”
“We are looking, we are looking. I think we need to box based on the vibrations.”
Romain Grosjean - “Mate… I’m gonna do a couple of slow laps, see if clears off.. cause I don’t wanna stop now.” (FP2)

Romain Grosjean - “It’s a f**king joke! Did we get touching? Why it’s the outside wheel which is locking like this?”
“No touching, it’s not touching related. Romain we need to abort this, we need to box, the loads are too high.”
Romain Grosjean - “I. Don’t. Really. Care.” (FP2)

There are good vibes and there are bad vibes

It was definitely the latter for Romain Grosjean early in FP2 👀 #F1 #FrenchGP 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/lRQdxJ7Ap8

— Formula 1 (@F1) 21 giugno 2019

Romain Badass Grosjean, ladies and gentleman. The man who doesn’t need introduction. 

Romain Grosjean - “Ssssssss.. i don’t have a word.”
“Do you wanna try another lap or box?”
Romain Grosjean - “I need… I need something here. I can’t have a car which is f**king good over the first five corners.” (FP2)

Then he tries to emulate his team mate. 

Romain Grosjean - “Okay, I need some help.” (FP2)

And don’t worry, in the end he is still the adorable guy we used to know. 

A lot of rumors are going around the Pirelli tyres, and voices from the Paddock suggested, some weeks ago, that Ferrari and Red Bull wanted to accuse Pirelli for their 2019 compounds. 

Charles Leclerc - “There’s something very weird on the front right. My tyres’ dead.” (FP1)

Sebastian Vettel - “Ok, we can’t do two consecutive laps with these tyres.” 
“Okay, understood.” (FP1)

Yes, we all know about Ferrari’s struggle to find the perfect window temperature, but what about Red Bull? 

“How are the tyres? How are the flat spots?”
Pierre Gasly - “I’m yeah...tyres are square!” (FP1)

Oh, okay, we just found out what the real problem is. Thanks Pierre. 

The French man is facing some hard times during his first year in the senior team.

Pierre Gasly - “A bit difficult with the traffic.”
“You have to make the best of this situation, I can’t control it.”
Pierre Gasly - “No no, I am understanding you, wasn’t a perfect lap, small pace.” (FP1)

You have to learn how to walk with your own feet, Pierre. 

It is hard to copy with the stress levels of a Formula 1 driver. Ask Pierre, 23 years old, already deaf.

“Reminder….”
Pierre Gasly - “Louder please!!”
“Right rear button.”
Pierre Gasly - “Better now.” (FP2)

We thought that the only one who could suffer this kind of old age issues was Kimi Raikkonen. 

“And that’s P8! Well done my friend, fantastic race.”
Kimi Raikkonen - “…”
“I hope you had fun.”
Kimi Raikkonen - “Yeah. Thank you.” (Chekered flag)

No, he is just Kimi and doesn’t like to talk. Or listen to anyone. 

The situation in the Red Bull garage is not easy even for Max Verstappen.

Max Verstappen - “I don’t know what’s going on.” (FP1)

Not that his engineers make it easier.

“Engine 6, position 10.”
Max Verstappen - “It’s already in that one.”
“Sorry, engine 6, position 9.” (Q3)

Max Verstappen - “I can’t go faster than this.”
“Keep this pace, Max.” (Race)

“We need to get a bit of a push on here actually Max for the moment.”
Max Verstappen - “Mate I’m trying but it’s not like I have a magic throttle pedal!” (Race)

Max the magician has a bit of a ring to it, doesn't it? 🧙‍♂️#FrenchGP 🇫🇷 #F1 pic.twitter.com/z7YMbMqlKa

— Formula 1 (@F1) 24 giugno 2019

Max’s nerves were really tested in France, but he stayed calm the whole time. He is a mature driver now. 

Max Verstappen - “Yeah f*****k.” (FP2)

As I said. 

It is now time for a special Hit Parade, the one you’ve been looking for: this time, our podium is full of team radio communications. 

On the lowest step of the podium we find, obviously, Ferrari’s strategists. What did they do this time that isn’t worst than Antonio Giovinazzi’s strategy? 

To Sebastian Vettel - “And we are on Plan F, head down keep pushing.” (Race) 

You will now maybe think “how this drivers can remember everything, from steering wheel command to race plans? 

Do you wonder what Plan F is?

To Lewis Hamilton - “Looks like Vettel will have a pit stop at the end to go for fastest lap.” (Race)

Right, it wasn’t hard to predict. 

On the second spot of the podium… Lando Norris wins. Everything.

He performed an incredible show on social media, and Kimi knows it well, but also did something great on track, with incredible performances.

Lando Norris - “Why am I at the bottom of the pack? No, I am not, mistake. No, I am at the bottom of the pack.”
“Lando The correct info should come back now.” (FP2)

No worries, Lando. 

But what is growing team like McLaren without two competitive drivers like Carlos and Lando? 
And no, not only on Instagram. 

Carlos Sainz - “I can see Lando pushing behind, do you want me to pick up the pace?”
“Let’s try to match Ricciardo, Lando is matching that.” (Race)

Lando Norris - “I can’t do anything! I’m just waiting for Carlos to do anything, if he picks up the pace.. I’m just stuck behind him.” (Race)

His race, after a P5 in quali, was really good, but then something went wrong for Lando. 

“Ok Lando, we are managing a small issue we cannot use DRS even if it’s available, we cannot use DRS.”
Lando Norris - “Like it won't work or I'm not allowed?”
“You are not allowed.” (Race)

Lando Norris - “I’m having really bad upshifts, really aggressive upshifts.”
“Ok, Lando, this is part of the problem we’re managing, there’s nothing we can do right now. Deal with it the best that you can.”
Lando Norris - “Okay, all right, confirm.” (Race)

“And you can press the overtake only for 5 seconds.”
Lando Norris - “F**K sorry boys.” (Race)

Despite this, Lando managed to finish P9 at the Paul Ricard.

“Mate, you need to hold your head really high, you drive absolutely awesomely the whole weekend from P1 to Qualifying, you did a fantastic job, and then the race, you did a great job too. I’ll explain the problem later, but you drive really well mate.”
Lando Norris - “Yeah I got it, disappointed, cause it could’ve been much better. Good job all weekend, it’s been a good one. Thanks to you guys, and back at the factory.”
“We proved our point. We’ll get them in Austria.” (Chekered flag)

A great weekend but disappointing in the end for the F1 rookie 😬#FrenchGP 🇫🇷 #F1 pic.twitter.com/zLcefNY3MZ

— Formula 1 (@F1) 24 giugno 2019

And Lando officially joins the group of the Formula 1 drivers of the future. Welcome, Lando!

And finally, on the top of our Hit Parade, the only place where they can, unfortunately win, we find both Ferrari drivers. As the McLaren pair, they also show love for each other on track.

Charles Leclerc - “Can you ask Seb to speed up please?”
“We are asking him, so he should do that.”
Charles Leclerc - “Yeah, I just hope Seb is not slowing down too much because he is at the moment.”
“OK, it will be fine. It will be fine.” (Q2)

“Can you be faster? We have 10s margin also, only for Charles.”
Sebastian Vettel - “Yeah, how much more margin do you need?”
“It should be fine, just don’t slow down.”
Sebastian Vettel - “Exactly.”
“Yeah, it’s fine.” 
Sebastian Vettel - “No, I’m not slowing down, I’m not trying to kill him, so don’t worry.” (Q2) 

Are we still talking about Charles lap time or…? 

Anyway, Sebastian Vettel, who got married just before the French race weekend, tried to understand something with his engineer.

Sebastian Vettel - “Something doesn’t feel quite right at the front.” (FP1) 

Again, we can’t understand if he is talking about tyres or Mercedes domination.

Sebastian Vettel - “Okay, check something didn’t feel quite right in the front, I had some vibrations at the front axle, the first sector in particular, turn 4.” 
“Okay.”
Sebastian Vettel - “And the car was a lot on the nose.”
“We don’t see anything in particular, but we are checking.” (FP1) 

I dearly suggest to all the Ferrari’s engineers to ask Karun Chandhok for further explanations. 

And he can be pretty useful for our “Special Prize: Honestly, why did I get a penalty?”

Checo, you know who to ask. 

Sergio Perez - “So what I could have done different for the penalty? I don’t understand, I don’t know what I did wrong, it’s impossible for me to judge where I am, on track.” (Chekered flag)

Thankfully we will soon have fresh new team radio in less than a week. Hope you enjoyed Formula 1 Radio: Radio Le Castellet, we can’t wait to be back in the Paddock in Austria! Au revoir, Ames amis.