Azerbaijan Grand Prix viewers were left unaware Red Bull had called off the fight between its drivers.
Max Verstappen passed his team mate early in the race, then defended his position when he came under pressure from the other Red Bull.The radio messages broadcast on the world feed indicated Red Bull allowed Isack Hadjar to fight his team mate for position. However Red Bull issued Hadjar a subsequent order not to pass Verstappen which FOM did not play on the world feed.
Verstappen passed Hadjar at the beginning of lap seven. Red Bull told Hadjar not to put up a fight against his team mate: his race engineer Richard Wood pointed out “race time is priority here”:
| Lap: 4/51 HAD: 1’48.447 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Gap behind 1.4 he does not have overtake. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 5/51 HAD: 1’47.994 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Engine 14 position nine. Engine 14, position nine. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Car behind Verstappen, he has overtake. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 6/51 HAD: 1’49.033 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Okay, so Verstappen car behind. Remember, race time is priority here. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Yeah [unclear]. Verstappen passes Hadjar into turn one |
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| Lap: 7/51 HAD: 1’49.033 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Okay, so just do some management turn one, turn three for tyres. Lift off management turn, one, turn three for tyres. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 9/51 HAD: 1’48.248 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Flap update when you can. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Happy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Red Bull started their drivers on different tyres: Hadjar on softs, Verstappen on mediums. However the rubber did not perform as expected: Hadjar’s soft tyres not only gave better grip but also proved more durable and he was able to stay close to his team mate.
Verstappen initially closed on Oscar Piastri ahead who was also on the soft tyres. However from around lap 12 he began to drop back.
| Lap: 10/51 HAD: 1’48.643 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | You’re doing a good job with the soft tyre. Piastri has some light graining already, keep on top of the lift-off. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 11/51 HAD: 1’48.366 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Ten laps complete. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 12/51 HAD: 1’48.143 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | How good are tyres? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Just need to do some lift-off turn 15 as well for the tyres, turn 15 lift-off as well for the tyres. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 15/51 HAD: 1’48.180 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | We’re just managing some temperatures as well. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As it became clear Hadjar was losing time behind Verstappen, Red Bull asked him if he could lap quicker without his team mate in front of him. Hadjar indicated he was happy to stay behind Verstappen at this point.
| Lap: 16/51 HAD: 1’47.883 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Isack, if you had free air, how much faster could you go? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Two, three, tenths only. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Gap will stay here forever to be honest. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Copy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Well, I’m happy to stay honestly, otherwise we’re just going to lose time. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 18/51 HAD: 1’48.021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Just one tenth short of overtake. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
However Hadjar became increasingly concerned he was losing race time behind his team mate. He pointed this out to Wood but was left waiting for a reply:
| Lap: 20/51 HAD: 1’48.321 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Tell him to keep pushing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Yeah, copy that, mate. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Is he struggling now or what? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Yeah, he’s going through a bad phase of these tyres. He’s going to a bad phase of these tyres. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Okay, but I have pace, just in case. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Okay, copy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 21/51 HAD: 1’47.547 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Okay, I’m working on it. I’m working on | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Tyres are okay. You copy? They’re good. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 22/51 HAD: 1’47.806 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | I copy. I copy, I copy. No further comment for three-and-a-half minutes |
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| Lap: 23/51 HAD: 1’47.444 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Okay Isack so we think you’ve got the best race tyre, so look after it. Use lift-off when you can, use lift- off when you can, look after the tyre. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 24/51 HAD: 1’47.249 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Engine 14, position 10. Engine 14 position 10, increase K clip, turn one, two. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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At the end of lap 26 Hadjar got closer to Verstappen at the end of the lap and had a chance to attack him into turn one. He asked Wood if he was allowed to pass Verstappen and was told to “keep it clean”.
This exchange took place before Verstappen moved to cover the inside of the corner where Hadjar allowed him through 20 laps earlier. It was broadcast on the world feed shortly afterwards.
| Lap: 26/51 HAD: 1’47.172 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Hadjar begins to close on Verstappen out of turn 19 Can I go for it or what? |
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| Wood | Got to keep it clean. Verstappen pulls off-line to defend at the inside of turn one |
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On the next lap, Red Bull told Hadjar he was not allowed to attack Verstappen again. Soon afterwards Hadjar began to complain about problems with his car’s handling:
| Lap: 27/51 HAD: 1’47.992 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Okay Isack, we want to hold position now, we want to hold position. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Okay. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | I have a problem with the engine braking in turn six. Just look at this lap. Massive slap. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Okay we’re looking into it. Push toggle available as a plaster just now. Push toggle is available as a plaster. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | It’s like the driveability is getting worse. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 28/51 HAD: 1’47.249 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | The grounding is getting worse in the are high-speed chicane. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Copy, grounding, high-speed chicane. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 29/51 HAD: 1’47.337 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | I’d recommend push toggle five-six. We can see the issue, we’re looking for a solution. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 30/51 HAD: 1’47.374 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Okay. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Engine 14 position eight, engine 14 position eight. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The two Red Bulls were still running close together when the Safety Car was deployed. The team had clearly prepared for this situation: Wood told Hadjar “I think you know what’s going to happen here.”
From being within a second of his team mate, Hadjar dropped to four seconds back, giving the pit crew time to quickly service both cars consecutively in the pits:
| Lap: 31/51 HAD: 2’37.494 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Safety car, safety car. Slow button on, slow button on. And target plus four, target plus four. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Yeah, all good. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Yeah, copy. I think you know what’s going to happen here. Target plus four. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Okay, let’s do it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Yep. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | So it’s box, box. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | So it’s target plus four, target plus four. Target plus four. Target… | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Yeah. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | So it’s box, box, plus four is what we need, only plus four. Watch for rear jack man, watch rear jack man. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Hadjar approaches the pit lane entrance after backing off Okay, let’s go mate. Let’s go. Let’s go. |
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Red Bull know from bitter experience the risks involved in allowing team mates to fight for position. Verstappen and another of his team mates collided at Baku in 2018.
Whether Verstappen would have obeyed the same instruction Hadjar was given earlier in the race is another matter. The last time Red Bull told him to let a team mate overtake, he pointedly refused, telling them: “I told you already last time guys, don’t ask that again to me.”
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