Ferrari’s decision to bring Carlos Sainz Jnr in for a second pit stop moments after he’d made a pass for third position was hotly debated after the French Grand Prix.
Ferrari’s decision appeared to have cost Sainz a podium finish. It didn’t help matters that the presentation of the discussion on the radio gave the impression they called Sainz in at the exact moment he was overtaking Sergio Perez, which was not the case.
However that moment came amid several laps of discussion between Sainz and the Ferrari pit wall over whether he should come in. The driver told them as early as lap 38 they needed to make a decision on their strategy “now”, but he didn’t come in until four laps later. Whether or not the decision was correct, the hesitation clearly cost them.
Carlos Sainz Jnr’s radio messages during the French Grand Prix
Having lined up 19th on the grid, Sainz was immediately passed by Kevin Magnussen, the only driver who started behind him. Sainz had to get his set of hard tyres into their operating window while the majority of his rivals began the race on mediums.
| Lap: 1 Position: 18 Lap time: 1’55.014 | |
| Adami | K2 off. |
| Lap: 2 Position: 16 Lap time: 1’41.355 | |
| Adami | Think about mode X. Think about mode X, it’s available. |
| Lap: 3 Position: 15 Lap time: 1’39.779 | |
| Adami | Good job there. DRS enabled. Currently P15. |
| Adami | Car behind 1.1 second. |
| Lap: 4 Position: 14 Lap time: 1’40.095 | |
By the fifth lap he had already moved ahead Yuki Tsunoda (who was hit by Esteban Ocon on the first lap), Zhou Guanyu, Nicholas Latifi, Valtteri Bottas, Pierre Gasly, Mick Schumacher and Alexander Albon. But having got his tyres up to temperature they were soon getting too hot.
| Lap: 5 Position: 13 Lap time: 1’40.063 | |
| Adami | Good progress these. P13. Magnussen 1.8 in front. |
| Lap: 6 Position: 13 Lap time: 1’39.942 | |
| Adami | Think about FS1 if it makes sense for turn 10. |
| Lap: 7 Position: 13 Lap time: 1’40.380 | |
| Adami | Magnussen car in front, one second in front, Magnussen lap time 40.3. |
| Sainz | I don’t have grip. |
| Adami | Copy that. Diff mid plus one. |
| Sainz | Everyone on medium quick. |
| Adami | Understood. |
| Adami | Temperature-wise, tyres are ready. |
| Sainz | Yeah but they’re overheating already. |
| Adami | Understood. |
| Adami | Brake shape plus one, brake shape plus one. |
| Adami | Try to let them down cool down, increase [lift and coast] if you can. |
Haas chose a two-stop strategy for Magnussen and Ferrari hopes others would follow,…
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