How Mercedes drivers’ radio calls swung the Dutch GP · RaceFans

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell reacted in completely different ways in the critical moments which swung the outcome of the Dutch Grand Prix.

The pair moved into the lead when the Safety Car was deployed with 16 laps to go and Red Bull responded by bringing Max Verstappen in from the front of the field to fit soft tyres to his car. That left the Mercedes pair leading, both on the medium tyres.

But while Hamilton was content to remain in the lead of the race on his older rubber, Russell behind him immediately questioned whether they should switch to the soft tyres. After a brief debate, Russell won his team over, and changed tyres.

Hamilton was crestfallen when he saw what was unfolding. He immediately realised his chance of holding onto the lead would be seriously compromised without Russell’s car behind him on the same rubber.

Sure enough, once the race restarted Verstappen shot past Hamilton and went on to win, while Russell picked off his team mate on his way to second. Here’s how it unfolded.

Hamilton and Russell’s radio messages from the Safety Car period

Mercedes were alert to the possibility of the Safety Car being deployed as soon as Valtteri Bottas brought his Alfa Romeo to a stop on the pit straight. With little room to move it out of the way, a Safety Car looked inevitable.

Hamilton’s thoughts immediately turned to Verstappen ahead of him. Knowing the Red Bull driver was on the hard tyre compound, Hamilton suspected he might pit and avoid being left vulnerable at a rolling restart on a hard tyre compound. Sure enough, Red Bull brought Verstappen in for a set of softs.

In contrast, even before Verstappen was called in, Russell immediately questioned the team’s decision to stay on the medium tyre compound. He told them he was happy to risk switching to the soft tyres if it meant losing a position to the next car in the queue, Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari.

Curiously, at this point Mercedes told him they planned to split the responses between the two drivers but that Hamilton would be called in. This was either a mistake or the team swiftly decided against it:

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