Turkish GP: Positive FP1 for Williams Racing


By Andrew Hooper
October 8 2021

The opening Friday practice session for the 2021 Turkish GP would see the Williams Racing Team come away with George Russell 11th and Nicholas Latifi 15th. Both drivers would complete a single soft tyre run where their quickest times were set. Apart from this George and Nicholas would split their tyre evaluations with George using the medium and Nicholas the hard. Overall it was a positive start to the Turkish GP weekned for the Williams team.

 
 Williams Racing Turkish GP Friday 1st Practice
 
Latifi
 

Team Summary:
With the start of the opening Friday practice for the 2021 Turkish Grand prix there would be a rush of drivers using all three tyre types with the medium and soft the most widely used. As the first times came in Leclerc was quickest with a 1m:27.457 but Hamilton would move ahead with a 1m:27.439 followed by Leclerc, Gasly, and Norris fourth. The two quickest times were on the soft tyre while Ocon in fifth was on the hard. Verstappen was now fastest using the soft tyre with a 1m:26.991 but on the medium Norris would set a 1m:26.516 only to see Hamilton again quickest with a 1m:26.043.

With ten minutes completed the order was Hamilton, Leclerc, Norris, Verstappen, Ocon, Vettel, Perez, Nicholas, Giovinazzi, and Stroll tenth. As the times continued to fall with Ocon now quickest with a 1m:25.968 followed by Norris and Hamilton. A 1m:24.511 still on the soft would see Hamilton again fastest from Ocon, Bottas, Alonso, Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc, Ricciardo, George, and Perez tenth. So we had the Williams racing drivers currently ninth and 14th. Twenty eight minutes remaining and the order was Hamilton, Ocon, Verstappen, Bottas, Alonso, Ricciardo, Norris, Leclerc, Stroll and George tenth.

Bottas would use the soft tyre to improve to be second with Ocon now third. The Williams pair were 12th and 14th after soft tyre runs. Verstappen would improve to be second ahead of Bottas. Sainz was now fourth ahead of Ocon, Norris, Gasly, Alonso, Perez, and Ricciardo now tenth. Leclerc was now in third ahead of Bottas. With under ten minutes remaining the track was very busy with all twenty drivers running on what were longer runs on a mix of tyres. The session would come to an end with the drivers taking to the grid to complete practice race starts. The top would would be Hamilton, Verstappen, Leclerc, Bottas, Sainz, Ocon, Norris, Gasly, Alonso and Perez tenth. The Williams pair were 11th and 15th in what was a positive session for the Williams Team.

George Russell:
George would finally come out for his first run using the medium tyre. He would set a 1m:30.867 on his first sighting lap. His next lap was a 1m:27.595 to be right behind his team-mate. He would set a 1m:26.376 to now be 7th. He would pit now ninth after a seven lap run on the medium. He would return this time on the soft tyre. A 1m:26.223 from George ad he was still tenth. Even with a 1m:26.125 would see George 12th. This would become 14th. A 1m:25.685 and would see George improve to be 11th pitting after a three lap run on the soft. With ten minutes remaining George would return on the medium tyre. George has been complaining about up shifts being very bad as he started his medium tyre run. He would complete ten laps in his run prior to the session end.

Nicholas Latifi:
Nicholas would be first out for Williams in the session using the hard tyre. He would set a 1m:30.447 to be currently 12th. He would drop to 13th but even with a 1m:29.162 Nicholas was now 14th. But a 1m:27.405 would see Nicholas eighth dropping to 12th. A 1m:26.867 from Nicholas and he was tenth. He would pit after a eight lap run on the hard tyre currently 12th. In the pits he would drop to 14th. With thirty five minutes remaining he would return this time on the soft tyre. A 1m:26.489 would see him now 11th. He would drop to 12th with under thirty minutes remaining. Nicholas would improve with a 1m:26.452 to now be 13th. A 1m:25.863 and Nicholas would now be in ninth. He would drop to 11th and would pit after a seven lap run. Nicholas would return with fifteen minutes remaining Nicholas would return back on the hard tyre. He would drop to 15th having completed eleven laps in his run prior to the end of the session.

 
Russell
 
Cla Driver Chassis Laps Time Gap
1  Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 26 1'24.178  
2  Max Verstappen Red Bull 24 1'24.603 0.425
3  Charles Leclerc Ferrari 27 1'24.654 0.476
4  Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 28 1'24.842 0.664
5  Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari 25 1'24.860 0.682
6  Esteban Ocon Alpine 30 1'24.909 0.731
7  Lando Norris McLaren 26 1'25.347 1.169
8  Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 30 1'25.382 1.204
9  Fernando Alonso Alpine 26 1'25.383 1.205
10  Sergio Perez Red Bull 24 1'25.459 1.281
11  George Russell Williams 25 1'25.685 1.507
12  Daniel Ricciardo McLaren 26 1'25.750 1.572
13  Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin 26 1'25.810 1.632
14  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo 24 1'25.813 1.635
15  Nicholas Latifi Williams 28 1'25.863 1.685
16  Kimi Raikkonen Alfa Romeo 24 1'25.933 1.755
17  Lance Stroll Aston Martin 29 1'26.361 2.183
18  Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 28 1'26.424 2.246
19  Mick Schumacher Haas 25 1'26.636 2.458
20  Nikita Mazepin Haas 28 1'27.019 2.841
 
Latifi
 

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Turkish GP: Positive FP1 for Williams Racing
Discussion started by Williams F1 , 08/10/2021 12:33
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