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Hungarian GP: Further points for Williams Martini


By Andrew Hooper
July 28 2014

After what was an very eventful race the Williams Martini team would come away with a 5th and 8th after the running of the 2014 Hungarian GP. Felipe Massa was able to finish the race coming home in 5th while team-mate Valtteri Bottas could only manage 8th. It was a race that was dominated by wet weather and the resulting tyre strategies that the various teams ran. It may not have seen another podium finish for the team but it did see them come away with further points in the Constructors Championship.

 
  Hungarian GP Race Review
 
Bottas
 

Qualifying for the 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix had seen Williams Martini drivers Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa finish in third and sixth but the lead-up to the start of the race saw the rain fall throwing the question of tyres into the mix. The track was wet but drying making the choice over full wets or intermediates the big question the drivers prepared for the start. On pole was Rosberg followed by Vettel, Valtteri, Ricciardo, Alonso, Felipe, Button, Vergne, Hulkenberg and Kvyat in tenth. Both Hamilton and Magnussen would start the race from the pit lane with both drivers suffering damage to their cars during qualifying. Magnussen had crashed at Turn one while Hamilton's car had gone up in flames due to a fuel leak prior to setting a time. For Felipe he would be hoping that he can finish the race after been involved in several accidents over the last few Grand Prix.

The rain had stopped but it was expected to fall again in about twenty minutes after the start. Everyone was on the intermediate tyre for the start as the grid moved away on their parade lap with the exception of Kvyat who was stopped on the grid reporting a loss of power with his car pushed off the grid. The track was dry in places and very wet in others as the drivers came back around and formed up on the grid. The lights would come on and go out and it would be Rosberg away with Valtteri going around Vettel at urn one. Alonso also got past Vettel as we saw Hamilton spin off at Turn two but was able to continue. Vettel was able to get past Alonso at Turn five while Alonso very nearly went into the back of Vettel at Turn one. Rosberg was leading Valtteri by 2.7 seconds with Vettel right behind the Williams.

 
Bottas
 

Button was now fifth followed by Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, Felipe, Vergne, Perez, with Gutierrez eleventh. Hamilton was twenty first and Magnussen nineteenth. Lap three and Rosberg was now leading by 5.7 seconds and by lap four it was 6.7 seconds. Valtteri was able to keep Vettel behind him while Ricciardo was close behind Button. Even with DRS enabled Valtteri was able to keep Vettel behind him as they started lap six. Alonso was now in a comfortable fourth while at the rear of the field Hamilton was up to fourteenth, one place behind Raikkonen. But the race would change when Ericsson crashed heavily at Turn three seeing the Safety car being deployed. This would see a rush of pit stops with Felipe pitting. A large number of drivers had changed to the soft tyre. Lap ten and the leaders would all pit including Valtteri. Button was still on intermediate tyres along with Magnussen.

The order was now Ricciardo, Button, Felipe, Rosberg, Magnussen, Vergne, Vettel, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Perez, and Valtteri dropping to eleventh. The field was running behind the Safety Car as we then had the sight of Grosjean crashing on the other side of the track to where Ericsson had his accident. As a result the Safety Car would remain out as we saw smoke coming from the rear left rear of Rosberg's car. Was this another brake related issue as the Mercedes team told Rosberg to move his brake bias forward in order to help the brake issue. Button was involved in discussions with his team about their choice of tyres given that the rain had yet to return. The Safety Car would come in on lap fourteen with Ricciardo speeding up and crossing the finish line to restart the race.

 
Massa
 

Button would pass Ricciardo at Turn one using his intermediate tyres to good effect. Valtteri had dropped to twelfth with Hamilton now up to ninth. Rosberg would try to pass Magnussen at Turn one but as a result Vergne would take the opportunity to get past Rosberg. Button was told to pit at the end of his lap and he would pit on lap sixteen. This would see Felipe second as Rosberg tried to pass Vergne going into Turn one with the pair nearly making contact. Magnussen had also pitted along with Button as Hulkenberg retired after having his Perez at the final turn seeing his car head into the tyre barrier to retire. Ricciardo was again leading from Felipe Alonso, Vergne, Rosberg, Vettel, Hamilton, Perez, Valtteri, and Gutierrez in tenth. Felipe was now 4.3 seconds behind Ricciardo as Bianchi and Maldonado made contact at Turn one seeing both pit. Alonso was now right behind Felipe while Hamilton was looking to get past Vettel.

Ricciardo was pulling away from Felipe with the only driver close to Felipe was Alonso. Rosberg was still behind Vergne as Felipe was told to move his brake balance forward by 1%. Perez would crash on the main straight hitting the wall seeing the Safety Car deployed. Both Ricciardo and Felipe would pit with Valtteri also coming in. Both would change to the medium tyre as Perez's car was removed and the marshals cleared the track. Felipe was now seventh and Valtteri thirteenth while at the front it was Alonso leading from Vergne, Rosberg, Vettel, Hamilton, Ricciardo, and Felipe. Kobayashi would stop at Turn twelve seeing a double retirement for Caterham. Lap twenty seven and the Safety Car would pull in with Alonso leading. Alonso would open up a lead of 1.6 seconds after lap twenty eight with Vergne still second.

 
Massa
 

In third was Rosberg from Vettel, Hamilton, Ricciardo, Felipe, Gutierrez, Raikkonen, and Sutil tenth. Valtteri had dropped to fourteenth being passed by Magnussen. Kvyat would pit on lap thirty one seeing Valtteri move back up to thirteenth. Rosberg would pit on lap thirty three as Vettel nearly made contact with the wall on the main straight in a similar fashion to Perez. Rosberg would have a slow pit stop with replays showing Vettel spinning saying that he did not hit anything but flat spotted his tyres. Vettel would pit on lap thirty four while on the track Hamilton would get past Vergne moving up to second. Gutierrez had retired in his pit while Vettel was told that he would go to the end on the medium tyres he had switched to at his pit stop. Vergne would pit on lap thirty five seeing Felipe now fourth and Valtteri ninth. The order was now Alonso from Hamilton, Ricciardo, Felipe, Raikkonen, Button, Sutil, Magnussen, Valtteri, and Rosberg in tenth.

Rosberg was able to get past Valtteri going into Turn one seeing Valtteri run wide with Button pitting from sixth on lap thirty eight. Alonso would pit on lap thirty nine taking on the soft tyre. Hamilton would pit on lap forty joined by Sutil and Magnussen. Ricciardo was now leading with Felipe second followed by Raikkonen and Alonso. Hamilton was now fifth with Valtteri now seventh. Raikkonen would pit on lap forty two coming back out in seventh. Felipe was still second and Valtteri now sixth. Vettel would try to pass Raikkonen at Turn three but the Ferrari driver would hold his ground staying eighth. Ricciardo would talk to his engineer saying that he was losing power. Felipe would say that his tyres were starting to go away now as Hamilton complained about his seat starting to get very warm. Felipe would pit on lap forty six again taking on the medium tyre. Felipe would come back out in sixth with Rosberg closing in onto fourth placed Hamilton.

 
Bottas
 

Lap forty nine and Ricciardo was still leading from Alonso, Hamilton, Rosberg, Valtteri, Felipe, Raikkonen, Vettel, Vergne, and Button tenth. Rosberg was running right behind Hamilton while for Williams Felipe had Raikkonen right behind him. Hamilton was told to let Rosberg past as they are on different strategies and Rosberg has to pit again but Hamilton would respond saying what if I have to pit again. Hamilton would say that he would not slow for Nico to let him past. Ricciardo would say that he was now really struggling with his rear tyres. Ricciardo would piut on lap fifty five seeing Alonso now leading. Ricciardo was now on the soft tyre with Hamilton and Rosberg second and third. Ricciardo was now fourth followed by Valtteri and Felipe. Rosberg would now pit on lap fifty seven taking on the soft tyre for his final stop. Valtteri and Felipe would move up to be fourth and fifth.

Rosberg was now seventh as Ricciardo started to close in onto Hamilton. Lap fifty nine and Rosberg was right behind Raikkonen and Felipe one place further up. But Valtteri would be forced to pit on lap sixty taking on the soft tyre as Rosberg passed Raikkonen at Turn one. Valtteri had now dropped to eighth with Felipe now fourth but with Rosberg right behind. Rosberg would pass Felipe at Turn one using his DRS seeing Felipe drop to fifth. The top three were now running together with Hamilton trying to get past the Ferrari. Rosberg was closing the gap by 2.5 seconds a lap so it was looking like he would be with the leaders before the end of the race. Ricciardo would try to pass Hamilton at Turn two by going around the outside but Hamilton would hold him off seeing Ricciardo having to pull back in behind the Mercedes. But Ricciardo was able to pass Hamilton at Turn three having run around the outside at Turn two.

Ricciardo was now behind the Ferrari and would pass the Ferrari at Turn one with three laps remaining. Hamilton would say that his tyres are dead as Rosberg closed in onto Hamilton. Lap sixty nine and Hamilton was attacking Alonso. Felipe was still fifth and Valtteri now eighth behind Vettel. Ricciardo would start his last lap with Alonso still second. Rosberg would try to pass Hamilton at Turn two but would fail to get past. Ricciardo would cross the line to take victory with Alonso second and Hamilton third. Rosberg was fourth followed by Felipe Raikkonen, Vettel, Valtteri, Vergne and Button tenth. Another points scoring result for the Williams team but despite this they would drop to fourth in the Constructors championship.

 

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