Maldonado and Williams F1 win in Spain


Pastor wins in Spain

By Andrew Hooper
May 13 2012

The 2012 Spanish Grand Prix would be won by Williams F1 driver Pastor Maldonado. A fantastic moment for the team and driver as the Williasm F1 team secured their 114th Grand Prix victory. Unfortunately team-mate Bruno Senna would retire afer an incident with Schumacher. Despite this this race win is a fantastic moment for Pastor, Frank Williams, the Williams team and all their fans.

 
 Spanish GP Race Review
 
Maldonado
 

The grid for the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix would see for the first time Williams F1 driver Pastor Maldonado in pole position. Pastor had finished qualifying in second but was moved on to pole after Hamilton was excluded from qualifying as a result of having stopped his car out on the circuit at the end of qualifying due to not having enough fuel in the car to return to the pits. Disappointing for Hamilton but great news for Pastor. Team-mate Bruno Senna was not so fortunate starting from seventeenth. The conditions were dry despite rain overnight as the grid formed up for the sixty six lap Spanish Grand Prix. For the Williams team this race would be one of keeping Pastor at the front while helping Bruno to move forward from his poor starting position. It was now a question as to whether they can achieve this.

Pastor was in his car alongside him Alonso. Next came Grosjean from Raikkonen, Perez, Rosberg, Vettel, Schumacher, Kobayashi, and Button in tenth. Hamilton would start from last as the field moved away from the grid. The top ten were all on the soft tyre with Pastor leading the field away. It was expected that most teams would try to get off the soft tyre quickly as Pastor slowed the field down as they returned to the grid. The field would form up and we would have the lights go on and out and the field would get away. It would be Alonso taking the lead going into the first series of turns. Pastor was second after tying to fend off a fast starting Ferrari going wheel to wheel. Bruno was down in fifteenth while Webber had made a poor start and was in fourteenth. lap one and Alonso was leading by 1.3 seconds over Pastor. Perez would pit as a result of a puncture taking on the hard tyre. Raikkonen
was in third from Rosberg, Grosjean, Schumacher, Vettel, Button, and Kobayashi.

 
Maldonado
 
Lap two and Pastor was able to reduce Alonso's lead to 0.9 seconds. Bruno had dropped to eighteenth while at the front Alonso had extended his lead out to 1.1 seconds. Lap four and Pastor was able to maintain the gap to the Ferrari in front. Raikkonen was 2.4 seconds behind the Williams with Rosberg 3.3 seconds behind the Lotus. Vergne was now in tenth but was under attack by Massa. Alonso would complain about his tyres starting to degrade after just six laps. Pastor was now 1.5 seconds behind the Alonso. Lap seven and Webber would pit taking n the hard tyre after having made a bad start. Lap eight and Vettel would also pit taking on the hard tyre. The top three were starting to pull away from the rest of those following. Vettel was back out in eighteenth and Webber twenty second. Lap nine and Kobayashi would also pit also taking the hard tyres.

Pastor continued to follow Alonso while Hamilton was now in twelfth having past Hulkenberg. Lap ten and we would have Rosberg, Button, and Di Resta all pit. Lap eleven and Alonso would pit seeing Pastor take the lead. Grosjean and Schumacher would also come in joined by Vergne, Massa, Hulkenberg, and Petrov. Alonso would take on the hard
tyre while Grosjean would take on another set of soft tyres. Pastor would also pit the following lap joined by Raikkonen. Alonso would return to the lead s Ricciardo pitted. Lap twelve and Alonso was now leading Pastor by 3.4 seconds with Raikkonen3.6 seconds behind Pastor. Bruno was now in eighth while Schumacher would take to the gravel
with his car badly damaged after having made contact with Bruno. Grosjean had just earlier made contact with Bruno damaging his front wing endplate. Schumacher had hit the Williams in the rear going into Turn one. Schumacher would get out of his car to retire while Bruno would limp along a few corners to finally pull off to retire with a damaged rear wing and flat rear tyre.

At the front after lap fifteen Alonso was now leading by 2.8 seconds with Raikkonen 4.3 seconds behind Pastor. Hamilton had pitted and would run over a piece of equipment as he left. He was now in fourteenth behind Hulkenberg. Webber was struggling in ninth and would be passed by several drives including Di Resta, Vergne, Massa, and Hamilton. Webber would pit and receive a new nose explaining his lack of pace. Perez would also pit on lap
eighteen. Pastor was slowly closing the gap to Alonso with it now being 2.2 seconds. Grosjean was still running in fourth from Rosberg, Vettel, Button, Kobayashi, Di Resta, and Vergne in tenth. Lap twenty and Pastor was now just 1.7 seconds behind the Ferrari. Pastor was closing slowly hoping to get into the DRS zone. Massa and Hamilton were
running close behind tenth placed Vergne. Lap twenty three and Rosberg would pit from seventh, taking on the hard tyre.
 
Maldonado
 
Lap twenty four and we would have Di Resta and Vergne pit while Hamilton would try to pass Massa going into Turn one. Pastor would pit on lap twenty five taking on another set of hard tyres. Pastor would come out on a clear piece of track. Would he be able to get past Alonso when the Ferrari pits. Pastor was 1.3 seconds faster in the middle sector than Alonso while Button would pit on lap twenty six taking on the soft tyre. Ricciardo would pit from eleventh as on lap twenty seven Alonso would pit. He had been stuck behind Pic and this would allow Pastor to get past to move ahead of Alonso. A great moved from the Williams team plus a bit of luck with Alonso being caught behind Pic. With Raikkonen's pit stop on lap twenty seven Pastor would take the lead. Vettel would be given a drive through penalty after a yellow flag infringement having not slowed sufficiently in a yellow flag area.

Lap twenty nine and Pastor was now leading by 7.0 seconds with Raikkonen 12.3 seconds behind Alonso. Grosjean was still fourth with Hamilton now fifth. As the laps counted down Pastor was able to maintain his lead and by lap thirty four Pastor's lead was now 6.5 seconds. Raikkonen and Grosjean were still in third and fourth while Kobayashi had been able to pass Button for seventh. Hamilton was now in fifth with Rosberg sixth. With twenty laps to go Alonso would continue to close the gap to Pastor. Lap thirty six and Hamilton would pit coming back out in fourteenth. Pic had received a drive through penalty for ignoring the ble flags and he would take his penalty on lap thirty eight. Pic would come in only to retire his car in his garage. Pastor's lead was now 5.6 seconds while Vettel would pass Button for seventh.

Pastor would close into onto Raikkonen as on lap forty five Alonso would pit. Raikkonen wa snow in the lad from Pastor with Alonso now third but quite close to the Williams. Pastor was able to get past Raikkonen using his DRS at Turn one while Alonso would struggle to get past the Lotus. Alonso would pass Raikkonen again going into Turn one using his DRS. Now it was down to Alonso and his chase of Pastor as he started to close in onto the Williams. Lap forty nine and Raikkonen would pit seeing Grosjean now third. Pastor's lerad was now just 1.4 seconds over Alonso. Raikkonen would come back out in fourth. Alonso was now in the DRS zone as they started lap fifty. Pastor was catching the second Ferrari of Massa as Alonso continued to look for a way past. Rosberg was now fifth from Kobayashi, Hamilton, Button, Vettel, and Hulkenberg in tenth.
 
Maldonado
 
Pastor was looking very under control given the pressure he was under as they started lap fifty two on the run down to Turn one. Pastor was able to maintain his lead as on this lap Grosjean pitted. Pastor would get past Massa on the main straight using his DRS. Lap fifty three and Pastors lead was out to 1.3 seconds with Raikkonen 18.1 seconds behind Alonso. The nest lap and Pastor was able to keep his lead at 1.3 seconds with eleven laps remaining. Lap fifty five and his lead was down to 0.9 seconds as Alonso continued to track the Williams. Alonso was well and truly in the DRS zone while Pastor only had his KERS to defend. They would start lap fifty eight with Alonso having a quick look to pass Pastor but pulling back as they went into Turn one. Lap fifty eight and Pasto had pulled out fourth tenths over Alonso to be 1.0 seconds ahead of the Ferrari. Vettel would pass Button for eighth. Alonso had been told that he could use all available revs in his engine as at the end of lap fifty nine Pastor had pulled out 0.4 seconds to be 1.4 seconds in the lead.

Raikkonen was now 11.2 seconds behind Alonso with Grosjean still fourth. Lap sixty and Pastor's lead now 1.7 seconds. Raikkonen had taken a big amount of time off Alonso now being 9.8 seconds behind the Ferrari. Kobayashi had passed Rosberg for fifth while after lap sixty one his lead was out to 2.0 seconds. After lap sixty two Pastor found another 0.3 seconds with Pastor having the better speed as they looked towards the finish. Vettel was attacking Hamilton for seventh and would pass him using his DRS at Turn one. Lap sixty three and Pastor was 2.4 seconds in the lead with just three elaps remaining. Raikkonen was now 6.6 seconds behind Alonso as Pastor continued to extend his lead with it now 3.0 seconds after lap sixty four.

Pastor would start the final lap of the race with his lead now 3.3 seconds. A brilliant race from Pastor as he completed the lap to cross the line to win the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix. What a victory for Pastor and the Williams team and what a birthday present for frank Williams. Alonso would finish second from Raikkonen, Grosjean, Kobayashi, Vettel, Rosberg, Hamilton, Button, and Hulkenberg in tenth. This would be Williams 114th win and there first in eight years. Just fantastic!

In the post race interview Pastor was asked about his first victory. He responded " I think it is a wonderful day. We have been pushing hard and after a great qualifying today it was a tough race as with the rear tyres we struggled after a few laps .... My first podium and my first victory you can imagine how I feel."
 
Senna
 

Bookmark or share this story with:

Maldonado and Williams F1 win in Spain
Discussion started by Williams F1 , 13/05/2012 14:56
Williams F1
13/05/2012 14:56
What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.

Reply Quote Report
Goto: Forum List•Message List•Search• Log In
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.
We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment. We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals. We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards. If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing abuse@sportnetwork.net