Bahrain GP: Williams Martini 5th & 6th in FP3


By Andrew Hooper
April 18 2015

The final practice session for the 2015 Bahrain GP would see Williams Martini drivers Valtteri BOttas and Felipe Massa finish in an encouraging 5th anf 6th. Both drivers would complete a single long run on the medium tyre prior to their soft tyre runs. Both would complete a practice pit stop at the end of the session.

 
  Williams Martini Bahrain GP Saturday Practice
 
Bottas
 

Team Summary:
The final practice would be run under sunshine but there was a strong wind. The issue with this practice is that it does not represent the time of day when qualifying and the race will take place. First time would be a 1m:39.127 from Button but Nasr would go faster with a 1m:38.095. With fifteen minutes completed Maldonado was fastest with a 1m:37.962 with the track considerably slower than Friday. Rosberg was now fastest with a 1m:37.599 still on the medium tyre. Vettel would go quickest with a 1m:37.290 with neither Williams driver yet to return to the track with thirty five minutes remaining.

A 1m:36.973 from Raikkonen to be quickest while the session would be red flagged as Kvyat's car was recovered from a gravel trap. Still on the medium tyre both Williams drivers were back out with twenty minutes remaining. Both drivers would complete a longer run on the medium tyre perio to pitting to get ready for their qualification simulations. The first soft tyre time would be a 1m:36.421 from Hulkenberg. Both Williams drivers would return for their soft tyre runs. On the soft tyre Rosberg was now fastest with a 1m:34.968. But with quicker times with Hamilton now fastest with a 1m:24.599 from Vettel and Rosberg now third.

With five minutes remaining Valtteri and Felipe would drop to fifth and sixth. After practice pit stops both Felipe and Valtteri would return to their pits with the end of the session. With the end of the session the Williams drivers were fifth and sixth.

Felipe Massa:
Felipe would be strapped into his car well before the start of the session. Felipe would be first out for Williams running on the medium tyre. Felipe would pit after one lap. Felipe would stay in his car but with his helmet off to cool down reporting all was ok. With Valtteri having set a time Felipe was out on the track and would set a 1m:37.688 to be fifth 0.332 behind his team-mate. Felipe would follow Valtteri out as the session restarted. Felipe would drop to sixth as former Williams driver Nasr went fifth. Now Felipe was seventh as Maldonado went fifth.

Felipe would pit with fifteen minutes remaining. Felipe would go quickest in sector one and would finish his lap with a 1m:35.471 to be second. This would become third as his team-mate went quicker. With more times being set Felipe would drop to sixth. Felipe would also pit following Valtteri in. But it would be a brief stop having taken on a set of medium tyres after a practice pit stop.

Valtteri Bottas:
Like Felipe Valtteri was ready as the session got underway. But he would wait in his pit as Felipe completed his installation lap. With ten minutes of the session run Valtteri would take to the track pitting after one lap. Valtteri would be first back out and would set a 1m:37.356 to be third despite a moment on his lap. With the session restarting Valtteri was out early. Valtteri would follow his team-mate into the pits. Valtteri would complete his soft tyre run to be second, 1m:35.393. Valtteri was now fifth continuing to circulate around the track. But it would be Valtteri who pits first as the session drew to a close. He would return quickly having completed a pit stop also taking on a set of medium tyres.

 
Bottas Pit Stop
 

Pos  Driver         	Team		        Time     Laps
1  Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	        1m34.599s 13
2  Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari			1m34.668s 14
3  Nico Rosberg		Mercedes		1m34.968s 16
4  Kimi Raikkonen	Ferrari			1m35.141s 13
5  Valtteri Bottas	Williams-Mercedes	1m35.393s 18
6  Felipe Massa		Williams-Mercedes	1m35.471s 15
7  Pastor Maldonado	Lotus-Mercedes		1m36.307s 14
8  Daniel Ricciardo	Red Bull-Renault	1m36.335s 8
9  Nico Hulkenberg	Force India-Mercedes	1m36.421s 13
10 Felipe Nasr		Sauber-Ferrari		1m36.429s 18
11 Jenson Button	McLaren-Honda		1m36.488s 14
12 Daniil Kvyat		Red Bull-Renault	1m36.548s 7
13 Marcus Ericsson	Sauber-Ferrari		1m36.612s 17
14 Max Verstappen	Toro Rosso-Renault	1m36.684s 11
15 Sergio Perez		Force India-Mercedes	1m36.727s 14
16 Fernando Alonso	McLaren-Honda		1m36.899s 11
17 Carlos Sainz		Toro Rosso-Renault	1m36.979s 14
18 Romain Grosjean	Lotus-Mercedes		1m37.151s 17
19 Will Stevens		Marussia-Ferrari	1m39.745s 12
20 Roberto Merhi	Marussia-Ferrari	1m40.541s 14
 
Massa
 

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Bahrain GP: Williams Martini 5th & 6th in FP3
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