The leaders’ crucial radio calls during the Interlagos downpour · RaceFans

The outcome of the Brazilian Grand Prix swung on the decision made by the leading drivers on whether to pit when the rain intensified around half-distance.

George Russell and Lando Norris tried to take advantage of a Virtual Safety Car period to take fresh sets of intermediate tyres to see them through the downpour. Behind them, Esteban Ocon and Max Verstappen stayed out, and the subsequent red flag cemented their position at the front of the field.

All of the drivers appeared to be taken by surprise at how far the conditions deteriorated before race control intervened by sending out the Safety Car. Even that wasn’t enough to prevent a crash some drivers, notably Russell, warned about.

As always the challenge of a rain-hit race put the greatest strain of all on the communication between the drivers and their race engineers. Here’s how four of the front-runners coped with it, and the effect it had on their races.

Russell

The Virtual Safety Car is deployed in response to Hulkenberg’s crash. Russell has already passed the pit lane entrance by this point.

As Russell completes a lap under the VSC, Mercedes prepare to bring him into the pits. Russell isn’t keen. He also warned about the rising water levels at turn 13, where Franco Colapinto later crashed.

Russell comes into the pits and at the last minute suggests fitting full wet weather tyres instead of intermediates.

Norris passes Russell. The Safety Car is then deployed, at which point Russell becomes concerned they made a mistake by giving up positions by pitting.

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Norris

Before the VSC period, Norris was running close behind Russell, and initially suggested the team should bring him in for a pit stop under green flag conditions to ‘undercut’ the Mercedes driver. However Charles Leclerc’s experience of trying to do that showed it was not the way to go.

The VSC was deployed after Norris passed the pit lane entrance. McLaren decided to take the opportunity to pit when Norris came back around.

The VSC period was cancelled as Norris arrived in the pits, meaning he lost much of the advantage of pitting at that time.

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Norris managed to pass Russell after rejoining the track. That left him fourth behind Ocon, Verstappen and Gasly. He gained on them quickly until the Safety Car was deployed due to the amount of rain on the track.

Norris’ hopes of either overtaking the leaders on their worn tyres, or jumping ahead of them when they pitted, were dashed when Colapinto crashed during the Safety Car period. The race was red-flagged, allowing the leading trio to fit fresh tyres without losing the lead.

Ocon

Ocon was running fourth behind Yuki Tsunoda when the conditions began to worsen.

The Alpine driver made it clear to his team he did not want to change tyres when the Virtual Safety Car period began.

The VSC period ended before Ocon arrived at the pit lane, and he stayed out, taking the lead of the race. He told his team not to bring him in as he expected the race would be red-flagged.

During the Safety Car period Ocon made it clear to the FIA there was too much water on the track. The red-flag came soon afterwards when Colapinto crashed.

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Verstappen

Verstappen moved up to fifth place on lap 24 when Leclerc pitted. His race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase tried to keep the communication to a minimum at this point:

The Virtual Safety Car was deployed after Verstappen passed the pit lane entrance. The team did not indicate whether they intended to pit him at this stage.

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By the time Verstappen reached the pit lane entrance the VSC had been withdrawn and he stayed out, now in second place behind Ocon. Lambiase urged him to avoid any mistakes as he was now in front of his championship rival Norris:

Verstappen began lobbying for a red flag before the Safety Car was deployed. Lambiase echoed his point of view, claiming the conditions had become worse than they were the previous day when qualifying was postponed.

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