French GP: Best race so far for Williams Racing


By Andrew Hooper
June 21 2021

The results of the 2021 Franch GP would see the Williams Racing Team drivers finish in 12th and 18th. George Russell would finish ahead of his team-mate Nicholas Latifi in what Russell described as his best race so far for the Williams team. He would finish in this position on merit having passed several other drivers. For Nicholas his race was again a tough one with a lack of pace early in the race, something he is yet to fully understand the reasons behind this. Even so the results will see Williams move ahead of Haas in the Constructors championship by virtue of the 12th place.

 
 Williams Racing French Grand Prix Race Review
 
Latifi
 

The grid for the fifty three lap 2021 French Grand Prix would see the Williams Racing Team drivers George Russell and Nicholas Latifi starting from 14th and 16th. Both had the option of tyres for the start and they would select the medium tyre. On pole was Verstappen from Hamilton, Bottas, Perez, Sainz, Gasly, Leclerc, Norris and Alonso in tenth. All these drivers had taken the medium tyre in the second period of qualifying so would be starting on this tyre. Outside the top ten the choice would be Ocon, Vettel, Giovinazzi, Raikkonen, Mazepin and Stroll all on the hard while Schumacher was on the medium tyre along with Tsunoda. Starting the race from the pit lane after a gearbox change required after a crash in qualifying was Tsunoda.

With the parade lap completed the race would start and it would be Verstappen leading but Hamilton would get past as Verstappen had to run wide after a mistake with a slide. The Williams drivers were running 15th and 16th with Nicholas leading George. Bottas was in third followed by Perez, Sainz, Gasly, Leclerc, and Alonso eighth. Stroll and Tsunoda would both get past George seeing him 18th while Nicholas was still 15th. But Nicholas would be passed by Stroll to be now 16th. The Haas cars were last with the Williams 16th and 18th. Ricciardo and Norris were ninth and tenth with Vettel eleventh. Tsunoda would pass Nicholas seeing the Williams pair 17th and 18th.

 
Russell
 

At the front Hamilton was leading by 2.0s over Verstappen and Bottas. Lap twelve and both Ricciardo and Norris had moved into eighth and ninth. Alonso was now tenth with the Williams drivers still 17th and 18th but George had passed Nicholas. Lap fourteen and Hamilton continued to extend his lead over Verstappen. The first car to pit would be Leclerc dropping to 19th returning on the hard tyre. The next cars were Tsunoda and Schumacher dropping to 19th and 20th on their returns with both on the hard. The Williams drivers were now 15th and 16th as Ricciardo pitted dropping to 17th also taking the hard with the Williams now 14th and 15th. Next to pit was Bottas joined by Sainz, and Gasly. Russell had also come in dropping back to 19th now on the hard. Nicholas was now in 13th behind Leclerc. Verstappen pitted taking on the hard coming out in third. Leading was Hamilton from Perez and Verstappen.

Nicholas would pit on lap twenty returning on 19th also using the hard tyre. Hamilton would pit but would return back behind Verstappen with the Red Bull driver taking the undercut with the Mercedes. Perez was now leading from Verstappen and Hamilton. The Williams pair were now 18th and 19th. But George would pass Mazepin for 17th on lap twenty three. Bottas was now fourth followed by Norris, Vettel, Stroll, Ocon, Giovinazzi, and Raikkonen tenth. Those in sixth to tenth had yet to pit along with the leader Perez. Leclerc would pass Raikkonen for tenth. Raikkonen would dropt o 14th as he was passed by several drivers who had pitted. Nicholas would also pass Mazepin with the Williams pair now 17th and 18th.

 
Latifi
 

Perez would finally pit on lap twenty six returning in fourth. Norris had also pitted dropping to 14th. The whole field were all now on the hard tyre with some on quite old tyres as they had yet to pit. The order was now Verstappen, Hamilton, Bottas, Perez, Vettel, Stroll, Leclerc, Ricciardo, Sainz, and Gasly tenth. But both Aston Martins had yet to pit to change their hard tyres. Norris had passed both Gasly and Leclerc to now be ninth. Both Ocon and Giovinazzi would pit changing from their used hard tyres to the mediums. The Williams drivers were now 15th and 16th as a result of others stops. But Ocon was able to get past Nicholas. Nicholas would also be passed by Giovinazzi.

Lap thirty four and Verstappen would pit again taking on mediums tyres being the first team to change to a two stop strategy. Verstappen was now fourth behind Perez. Hamilton was leading from Bottas and Perez. Vettel and Stroll were now fifth and seventh with Norris sixth. George was now in 14th and Nicholas 17th. Stroll would make his first stop dropping to 14th now on the medium. George was now 13th still on the hard tyre. Verstappen was quickly closing the gap to the leading Mercedes. Raikkonen had pitted switching to the medium tyre now in 18th. Vettel would pit on lap thirty nine changing to the medium. He would return in 11th. Leclerc would pit again on lap forty dropping to 16th. This would see George now 12th but he would be passed by Stroll dropping back to 13th.

 
Russell
 

Lap forty three and Hamilton still led from Bottas, Verstappen, Perez, Norris, Ricciardo, Gasly, Alonso, Sainz and Vettel tenth. The Williams drivers were now 13th and 18th with ten laps remaining. But Verstappen would be able to get past Bottas now 4.5s behind Hamilton. As the laps counted down the gap between Verstappen and Hamilton was 2.2s but behind Perez would pass Bottas for third. Bottas was now fourth followed by Norris, Ricciardo, Gasly, Alonso, Vettel and Stroll now tenth. George would move up to 12th passing Tsunoda with just two laps remaining. Verstappen would get past Hamilton using DRS and was now leading the race. He would complete the last lap and would take victory in the 2021 French GP. Hamilton was now second followed by Perez, Bottas, Norris, Ricciardo, Gasly, Alonso, Vettel and Stroll tenth.

For Williams they would finish in 12th and 18th with George leading Nicholas. It was a great drive from George to come home 12th just outside the points. One could say that a Williams Racing car beat a AlphaTauri, an Alpine, both Alfa Romeos and even a Ferrari on the track.

 

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French GP: Best race so far for Williams Racing
Discussion started by Williams F1 , 21/06/2021 06:43
Williams F1
21/06/2021 06:43
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