Hungarian GP: Williams Martini 3rd and 6th in Qualifying
By Andrew Hooper
July 26 2014
Despite the track not being the most suited for the FW36 the Williams Martini team would see another fantastic qualifying result for the 2014 Hungarain GP. Valtteri Bottas would finish in 3rd and Felipe Massa 6th. Both drivers were able to easily make it through to the final period and the results certainly making the chances of achieving another good result very promising.
Hungarian GP
Qualifying
With clouds
covering the track the Williams Martini team would prepare for the opening
eighteen minute period for qualifying for the 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix. The
final practice session had see Valtteri Bottas finish in fifth but for
team-mate Felipe Massa it was not as positive finishing in eleventh. The
drivers had the Pirelli medium and soft tyres for this session with the
question as to who will use the option tyre in the first period. The period
would commence with Bianchi, Kobayashi, and Ericsson first out. Both
Caterham cars were straight out on the soft tyre as more drivers took to the
track. Both McLaren's were also out with Felipe first out for Williams on
the medium tyre. Both Sauber's were also on the soft tyre with Valtteri also
out along with both Mercedes cars. Maldonado would stop out on the track
even before he could set a time.
A 1m:28.755 from Kobayashi followed by Ericsson. Button would set a
1m:26.913 to be quickest. Magnussen was now second, 1m:28.712, with Felipe
fastest with a 1m:26.771 but both Gutierrez and Valtteri would go quicker.
Valtteri had set a 1m:25.690 to be quickest. But Hamilton's qualifying would
end when flames would come out of his car as he brought his car back into
the pit lane. He had not set a time with Magnussen now second. 1m:26.578.
Vettel was now second but Ricciardo would move ahead while Valtteri remained quickest. Felipe was now sixth with a
time of 1m:26.771. Valtteri's time was a 1m:25.690 with Gutierrez second but
he was on the soft tyre. Rosberg would go quickest with a time of 1m:25.353
also on the medium tyre.
Felipe had dropped to tenth and had pitted. Valtteri would also pit while we
had the sight of Hamilton walking back to the pits his qualifying over.
Ricciardo and Vettel would move into second and third with Valtteri now
fourth. The track was now empty with just three cars running with just over
six minutes remaining. Drivers would start to come back out for their next
runs with many on the soft tyre, including Kvyat, Vergne, Hulkenberg, and
Perez. Grosjean was also out on the soft tyre with the Lotus driver moving
up to eighth. Perez would go sixth with a 1m:25.910 with Felipe dropping to
twelfth. Vergne would go quickest with a 1m:24.941 and Kvyat third. Valtteri
was currently sixth as the period came to a close. The period would end as
Bianchi would move into sixteenth seeing Raikkonen drop to seventeenth and
out of qualifying. The period would end with Valtteri sixth and Felipe
fourteenth.
The top ten would be Vergne from Rosberg, Kvyat, Ricciardo, Vettel, Valtteri, Gutierrez,
Perez, Sutil, and Alonso tenth. Those not making it through were Raikkonen,
Kobayashi, Chilton, Ericsson, Hamilton and Maldonado.
With both Williams Martini cars
into the second period it was confirmed that Hamilton's problem was caused
by a fuel leak. The second period would commence with Perez out first.
coming out on what should be the norm for this period the soft tyre.
Hulkenberg was out next along with both Williams cars. The Williams cars
were also on the soft tyre as Alonso also came out. Ten drivers were on the
track with twelve minutes remaining. A 1m:25.211 from Perez to be quickest
but Hulkenberg would move ahead with a 1m:25.049. Rosberg was also out on
the track with Kvyat setting a 1m:24.706 to be quickest from Hulkenberg and
Perez. Valtteri was now fastest with a 1m:24.001. Felipe was now second with
a 1m:24.453 but Alonso would move ahead as Rosberg went quickest with a
1m:23.310. Replays had show Felipe out of shape at Turn five explain9ing why
he was so much slower than Valtteri. Valtteri now third and Felipe fifth but
they7 would drop down the order as Vettel and Ricciardo went second and
third. Valtteri was now fourth and Felipe sixth with Alonso fifth.
Perez's qualifying was over with a hydraulic issue with his car while the
top ten ws currently Rosberg from Vettel, Ricciardo, Valtteri, Alonso,
Felipe, Magnussen, Vergne, Button, and Kvyat in tenth. Hulkenberg and Perez
were eleventh and twelfth with the track now empty as drivers prepared for
their second runs in the period. Three minutes remaining and Felipe back out
followed shortly after by Valtteri. Both out on new soft tyres. Valtteri was
told that they will go for one timed lap. Only the top three were still in
their pits as Valtteri went fastest in sector one as Felipe set a 1m:24.030
to now be fifth. Hulkenberg would move into ninth as Valtteri improved his
time with a 1m:23.776 but remained fourth.
So with the end of the period Valtteri and Felipe fourth and fifth. Kvyat had stopped out in the final
sector having spun at Turn twelve. The top ten Rosberg, Vettel, Ricciardo,
Valtteri, Felipe, Alonso, Button, Magnussen, Vergne, and Hulkenberg. Those
not making the cut were Kvyat, Sutil, Perez, Gutierrez, Grosjean, and
Bianchi.
With the start of the final
period we had the sight of rain falling with everyone forming up at the end
of the pit lane looking to get out and set an early time. Both Williams
drivers would come out early with Rosberg leading the field. Both were on
new soft tyres with all ten drivers were out as Rosberg started his lap. But
Rosberg would run wide at Turn one as we were then presented with the sight
of Magnussen' car crashed heavily into the tyre barrier after getting his
car onto the grass after locking up his left front. The session was red
flagged as Magnussen' car was lifted away with its front suspension badly
damaged. Magnussen was ok and able to get out of his car. Everyone had
pitted while the tyre barrier was repaired.
The rain was heaviest at Turn one but it has started to ease with the period
restated only after a short brake. Valtteri was back out and still on the
soft tyre followed by Felipe also on the soft tyre. Rosberg would start his
flying lap looking quite careful at Turn one. Rosberg was expected to be
completing three timed laps. A 1m:26.488 from Rosberg but Ricciardo would go
quicker with a 1m:25.346 as Valtteri set a 1m:24.259 to be quickest. Alonso
was now second and Button third as Felipe set a 1m:26.115 to be fifth.
Valtteri would pit as Vettel set a 1m:23.415 to go quickest with both
Williams back in their pits.
Hulkenberg was now fourth as Rosberg went fastest with a 1m:23.236 as
Valtteri returned to the track on new soft tyres. Felipe was also back out
with the both Red Bull's and Rosberg in their pits. Valtteri was currently
third and Felipe ninth. Both Williams drivers were on quicker laps as Button
moved into fourth, 1m:24.294. Valtteri would finish his lap with a 1m:23.354
to be second while Felipe would set a 1m:24.233 to be fifth but he was 0.869
behind his team-mate. But Vettel would ste a 1m:23.201 to go quickest over
Rosberg but the Mercedes driver would respond setting a 1m:22.715 to take
pole. As a result Felipe would drop to sixth as the drivers returned to
their pits.
The top ten would finish with Rosberg quickest from Vettel, Valtteri,
Ricciardo, Alonso, Felipe, Button, Vergne, Hulkenberg, and Magnussen tenth
having failed to set a time. So the Williams drivers will start from third
and sixth with the prospects of another good result looking very promising.
I haven't got the chance to watch Qs or FPs, can someone please let me know if it is dry can we overtake RBRs or run the same pace as them ? This is a crucial part of the season, we have to score more points than them before the Summer Break.
Our long run pace in FP2 was slower than Red Bull, but I noticed that we are usualy much faster during the race than in FP2. I think, that Valtteri has good chanses to be in P2 after the first corner. Overtaking is difficoult on this circuit, but if our car is close enough to the Red Bull (or any other car for that metter exept Mercedes) on a start/finish straight, there should be no problem overtaking as we are 10 km/h faster.
Felipe, he starts on a dirty side of the grid, but I hope for another one of his stelar starts to overtake Alonso, and to survive the first lap. I dont think he could match the pace of Red Bulls (as Bottas will maybe be able to do), he looked slower all weekend than Valtteri.
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