Belgian GP: Another disappointing race for Williams Martini
By Andrew Hooper
August 28 2016
The 2016 Belgian GP would see the Williams Martini team suffer another disappointing result with Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa finishing in 8th and 10th. The results of the race would see Force India move ahead of the Williams team in the Constructors Championship. For Williams it was again a race that saw them struggle for pace as well as making some poor calls in regard to things such as pit stops.
Belgian GP Race Review
After a
frustrating qualifying the Williams Martini would see their cars start the
forty four lap 2016 Belgian GP from eighth and tenth with Valtteri Bottas
ahead of team-mate Felipe Massa. Of the top ten Rosberg, Raikkonen, Vettel,
and Ricciardo would all start on the soft tyre. Outside of the top ten all
were on the soft tyre except Alonso and Hamilton who were starting on the
medium tyre with the pair starting from the rear of the grid. It was
expected that those on the supersoft tyres would be stopping very early.
There was going to be a wide variety of strategies for the race so pit stops
would be varied. Starting from the pit lane would be Ericsson. Will the race
see Williams maintain or improve their points lead over Force India?
The grid would move away and after a long wait they would reform and we
would have the lights go out and it would be Rosberg leading but beh9ond
Verstappen had made a poor start and Vettel would spin and Raikkonen would
get damage to his car. Verstappen had front wing damage and he would pit
taking on a new nose. On lap two Sainz would have his right rear tyre
explode going along the Camel straight after a puncture. He would go off but
would continue eventually pulling off. Raikkonen had also pitted taking on a
new front wing after a long stop. Verstappen had tried to pass Raikkonen at
the first corner and it all went wrong seeing Raikkonen hit Vettel and spin
his team-mate. There would be a Virtual Safety Car for a brief period.
Retirements were Sainz, Button, and Wehrlein. Wehrlein had hit the rear of
Button's car seeing them both out.
For Williams
Martini both drivers were able to get through the messy start and with the
Safety Car Felipe would pit taking on the stop tyre. Valtteri was running in
fourth. Rosberg was leading by 4.3 seconds ahead of Hulkenberg, Ricciardo,
Valtteri, Perez, Grosjean, Palmer, Gutierrez, Hamilton, and Alonso. But the
race would suddenly see the Safety Car come out with Magnussen having a
major crash on the exit of Eau Rouge. Magnussen was able to get out of the
car as other drivers all started to pit under the Safety Car. Replays had
shown that Magnussen had a major spin seeing him hit the barrier at
Raidillon in what was a major accident. Valtteri had also pitted taking on
the soft tyre with the order was Rosberg from Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, Alonso,
Hamilton, Felipe, Perez, Kvyat, Palmer and Grosjean in tenth. Verstappen was
fourteenth and on the medium tyre.
But the race would be red flagged most likely due to the fact that the
repairs to be barrier would take some time. The field would return to the
pit lane all lining up awaiting the restart. The race would restart with the
start taking place behind the Safety Car. Both Alonso and Hamilton had
switched to the soft tyre. Rosberg had switched to medium joined by Perez.
Both Williams cars had taken on new soft tyres. Many drivers would be forced
to take the restart on the tyres that they were running on due to a lack of
tyres. Ricciardo was on new soft tyres but all the drivers still had to run
two types of tyres in the second part of the race. Rosberg would lead at the
start followed by Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Hamilton and Felipe.
Valtteri was running in twelfth.
Hamilton would
pass Alonso for fourth on the run up to Le Combes. Raikkonen was challenging
Verstappen for fourteenth with Raikkonen complaining about Verstappen's
driving. Valtteri was now in eleventh and Felipe still sixth and challenging
Alonso for fifth. It was reported that Magnussen had a left ankle injury.
Verstappen would pit taking on the soft tyre. Vettel would pass Kvyat for
eighth with seventeen laps completed. Valtteri had also passed Grosjean for
tenth while Felipe was just 0.6 behind Alonso. Hamilton would pass
Hulkenberg for third using using DRS going up the main straight. Valtteri
was right behind Kvyat and looking to pass which he would do to be ninth.
Rosberg was leading Ricciardo by 4.5 seconds with Hamilton seven seconds
behind second. Felipe was now coming under attack by Perez who was on the
medium tyre.
Hamilton would pit on lap twenty three taking on new soft tyres. He would
come back out in ninth with Raikkonen now ninth. Hamilton's stop was slow as
the rear jack man was waiting for the rear tyres to stop spinning. Felipe
would also pit taking on medium tyres coming back out in tenth. Valtteri was
now in seventh but he would pit on lap twenty five joining others. Rosberg
was now 8.9 seconds ahead of Ricciardo, Perez, Hamilton, Raikkonen,
Hulkenberg, Alonso, Felipe, Verstappen, and Vettel tenth after a round of
stops. Valtteri had also pitted taking on the medium tyre currently in
tenth. Felipe was back in sixth behind Alonso. Ricciardo would pit on lap
twenty seven coming back out still in second but 28.2 seconds behind
Rosberg. Rosberg would also pit staying on mediums returning in the lead by
9.6 seconds over Ricciardo. Hamilton was third followed by Hulkenberg,
Alonso, Felipe, Perez, Vettel, Verstappen and Valtteri.
Valtteri would
pass Verstappen while the Red Bull would pit. Perez was able to pass Felipe
getting along side the Williams going into Le Combes. The pair would make
contact with the right rear of the Force India hitting the Williams side
pod. Perez was able to get past Alonso while Vettel would have passed
Valtteri for eighth. Felipe was now been attacked by Vettel for seventh.
Vettel would eventually get past the Williams with Felipe and Valtteri
eighth and ninth. Hamilton had pitted taking on medium tyres coming out
behind Hulkenberg but was able to get past returning for third. Hulkenberg
and Perez were fourth and fifth. Vettel would pass Alonso for sixth using
his DRS. Alonso, Felipe, Valtteri and Raikkonen would be running close
together with thirty nine laps completed.
At the front Rosberg was leading
Ricciardo from Hamilton by 13.5 seconds with Hamilton third. Hulkenberg was
fourth followed by Perez, Vettel, Alonso, Felipe, Valtteri, and Raikkonen
tenth. if the Force India cars finish where they are they will move ahead of
Williams in the championship by one point. Five laps remaining and Valtteri
was keeping Raikkonen behind with this group running quite slow laps.
Hamilton was pitting in quick laps as Valtteri was able to get past Felipe
for eighth going into Le Combes using his DRS. Now Raikkonen was attacking
Felipe while Valtteri was told that Alonso was a sitting duck. But Felipe
was also a sitting duck been passed by Raikkonen with Felipe now tenth and
dropping back from the Ferrari. Rosberg would begin his final lap which he
would complete taking victory in the 2016 Belgian GP. Ricciardo was second
with Hamilton third. For Williams they would finish in eighth and tenth
while their rivals at Force India were fourth and fifth. For Williams it was
again a race that saw them struggle as well as making some poor calls in
regard to pit stops.
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