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Say what? The best of race radio in Brazil

17 Nov 2015

"It's a ******* joke!" Max Verstappen was at the heart of the action on Sunday at Interlagos, but not everything was to his liking. From the Dutchman's anger to Kimi Raikkonen being typically forthright, and from angst at McLaren to Romain Grosjean keeping events in Brazil in perspective, we bring you the best soundbites from the weekend...

"That was fun, the car was good, so thank you." (Grosjean)
"Starting 14th, finishing ninth, that's very good. Pensez a notre pays Romain." (Lotus)
"Oui, allez la France."
After gaining good places on the road in Brazil, Grosjean has cause for cheer - but events in France aren't far from his thoughts, or those of his team.

"I was fighting until the end. At best we had the same pace, but probably one of the best races we had this year. Great job."
Mercedes might have dominated the weekend on paper, but Ferrari were deceptively strong, with Sebastian Vettel tracking the Silver Arrows throughout and finishing less than seven seconds down the road from Lewis Hamilton.

"What happened to Lewis at the end of his stint?! Did his tyres degrade?" (Rosberg)
"Affirm. He couldn't keep the pace." (Mercedes)
Nico Rosberg though looks assured out front - giving his side of the garage the chance to twist the knife when Hamilton fades mid-race with tyre issues.

"I'm faster but I can't get close..."

"Can you get me on a different strategy now? It's impossible to overtake."
Hamilton has a different view on proceedings to Rosberg, but is unable to prevent his team mate romping to a second straight win.

"Box now? We've been lapped this lap so I don't know, is this what you were waiting for? Or do you want me to lose even more time?"
Hamilton isn't the only one with strategy concerns - Fernando Alonso is closing in on McLaren team mate Jenson Button, but is none too pleased to then see his team mate called in to pit first.

"Stop immediately, stop immediately." (McLaren in qualifying)
"So I park it, Turn 11. No power." (Alonso in response)
"Ah Fernando stop the car, stop the car." (McLaren in FP2)
It's a miserable weekend in general for the Spaniard in fact, with engine issues causing early exits in practice and qualifying - sparking a new wave of memes in the process.

"Oh that was painful..." (Button in FP1)
"I tell you what, 15th - I actually enjoyed that. There was at least some racing. I mean, I didn't know what I was going to do when I got to Nasr (laughs) but it was fun trying to chase him." (Button at the chequered flag)
Button's weekend also gets off to a bad start, but by Sunday he does at least have something to smile about.

"Not good guys, I hope tomorrow will be better..." (Massa in qualifying)
"We are third [in the constructors' championship], that's the main thing. But not really happy for the home weekend." (Massa after the race)
Felipe Massa has the best home record of any Brazilian in F1 history, but you wouldn't know it based on his 2015 showing - a fact that isn't lost on the Williams driver.

"Can you tell me what happened into Turn 6 and 7? I don't understand..." (Grosjean)
"I don't really know what happened there. The rear gave up real quick, I couldn't react..." (Hamilton)
Massa isn't the only one to struggle - both Grosjean and Hamilton are caught out by spins on Saturday.

"We'd still like to do a rubber lay if possible..." (Ferrari )
"I don't see a point to even travelling around with the car full of sand and the tyres completely ruined." (Raikkonen)
"Okay Kimi. We would like to do it. If you think it's dangerous then we won't; but if you could, we would be happy."
Kimi Raikkonen is another spinner, this time in FP1 - which provokes some internal debate about whether he should continue with half a gravel trap in his car...

"Remember to drink." (Williams)
"Not thirsty." (Bottas)
From one Finn to another, as Valtteri Bottas makes his engineer chuckle with a typically succinct exchange in FP3. 

"**** these Manors are not moving out of the way."
Raikkonen wins the fight with his compatriot however, venting his frustration with the Marussias during the race.

"Seriously we have to do something..."
"It's a ******* joke, seriously..."
Max Verstappen also turns the air blue - despite starring once again, he isn't best pleased with the antics of those around him at mid-distance.

"The car turned off by itself. What is happening?"
On the other side of the Toro Rosso garage, things are far more miserable as Carlos Sainz suffers issues on his way to the grid, and then again on the opening lap, forcing an early retirement.

"How are our brake temperatures? Because I can smell brakes..."
Ever the cerebral competitor, Button sniffs trouble late in the race - although McLaren assure him they don't have issues, suggesting it might be the Sauber of Felipe Nasr ahead

"Ahh it's a mess, a mess in the last corner. Tell Kimi it's a mess."
From one world champion to another, as Vettel hits trouble in the final corner on Saturday and immediately tries to warn his team mate to be wary.

"Don't talk anymore."
And to a world champion hopeful, as Rosberg senses he has Hamilton under wraps and decides he no longer needs updates from the team for the final part of the race.