The radio exchange between the Ferrari driver and his race engineer, following the Sprint Qualifying in Shanghai, offers a clear glimpse into the team’s assessment of performance.
A satisfying fourth place?
In the Sprint Qualifying of the China Grand Prix, Mercedes once again showed strong pace, with George Russell taking pole position and Andrea Kimi Antonelli finishing second. Ferrari, however, was no longer clearly the second-best team, as Lando Norris finished ahead of Lewis Hamilton in fourth, and Oscar Piastri placed ahead of Charles Leclerc, who was sixth.
The first Ferrari was 641 thousandths of a second behind the Mercedes in pole, slightly less than in Australia, but still a significant gap at this stage of the season.
Hamilton’s radio comment
Following the Sprint Qualifying, it is interesting to note a radio exchange between Lewis Hamilton and his race engineer Carlo Santi. The two discuss Lewis Hamilton’s lap and the gap to George Russell, indicating that he gave his maximum effort.
Carlo Santi: “The lap was good, 4 tenths ahead of Charles. Russell in P1.”
Lewis Hamilton: “How far is Russell?”
Carlo Santi: “Russell is 6 tenths ahead of us.”
Lewis Hamilton: “Crazy… it was an excellent lap.”
Carlo Santi: “Yes, it was an excellent lap.”
Lewis Hamilton: “And we’re still 6 tenths behind. Where does all their speed come from?”
Carlo Santi: “The difference is mainly due to the engine.”
