VOTE: What was the best team radio quote in 2023?

Toto Wolff and Max Verstappen on team radio — Photo: © LAT Images

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F1 AWARDS - VOTE: What was the best team radio quote in 2023?

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Cal Gaunt

Thursday 28 December 2023 22:57 Updated: 11:44

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In the turbocharged world of Formula 1, team radio serves not just as a technical lifeline but also as a comedic goldmine, capturing drivers' frustrations and engineers' wit in the high-speed drama of the sport.

From singing Elvis hits to raging about stewarding decisions, there have been a multitude of classic team radio moments in 2023.

We're currently in the process of our annual awards season as voted for by you, the GPFans, and so far we have given you the option to vote on your best non-champion driver, best race, most improved team, best moment, best young driver and unluckiest driver. But now it's time to look at 2023's best team radio quotes...

Assessing the candidates

We begin with perhaps the most famous of the year, as three-time world champion Max Verstappen appeared to have a change of heart about the Las Vegas Grand Prix, which he'd criticised heavily leading up to the weekend. After crossing the line on the strip, however, he broke out into an Elvis rendition of 'Viva Las Vegas!'. Iconic, to say the least.

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The Spanish Grand Prix saw its fair share of quality quotes flooding in over team radio. When Lance Stroll was told that he'd be heading back to Canada for his home race next, he replied: "I'm looking forward to some maple syrup on my pancakes."

Another of Verstappen's best came in Spain, too, as a phone rang in the background of his communications with the garage, prompting the Dutchman to ask: "Someone's phone is ringing. Is that Helmut's?"

Then there was George Russell and his concerns about rain, only to realise that what he was actually seeing was just sweat from inside his helmet. His boss Toto Wolff also had a humorous exchange with Lewis Hamilton in Austria, admitting that 'the car is bad', before asking him to 'please drive it'.

Carlos Sainz's fury in Australia could also be a contender, apoplectic after being handed a five-second penalty for a collision with Fernando Alonso. "Please guys, do something," he cried. "Please, I cannot still believe it. We are P3 and P4, and they took me out of the points for that, for a one-lap incident. So unfair, I cannot believe they do this to me... Let me at least discuss with the stewards in the stewards' room."

Another entrant is AlphaTauri reserve Liam Lawson, who exclaimed that he'd consumed 'so much caffeine' before the Japanese Grand Prix that it had 'f***ing lit me up'. An advert for Red Bull if ever there was one.

Valtteri Bottas' quick wit sees him as a contender, too, after torrential rain in Canada saw him joke over team radio: "Good weather... for a duck."