Malaysian GP: Points scoring result for Williams Martini
By Andrew Hooper
March 30 2014
The results of the 2014 Malaysian GP would see Williams Martini drivers Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas finish in 7th and 8th. It was a race that saw the pair make great starts to see them inside the top ten where they would remain for the rest of the race. But the race may be soured by the fact that in the later stages of the race Felipe was told to allow Valtteri past but the Brazilian kept his car in front.
Malaysian GP Race Review
After what was a
disappointing qualifying for the fifty six lap 2014 Malaysian Grand Prix the
Williams Martini team would see their cars line up on thirteenth and
eighteenth with Felipe Massa leading team-mate Valtteri Bottas. Valtteri had
qualified fifteenth but was given a three grid place penalty for impeding
Ricciardo. On pole was Hamilton from Vettel, Rosberg, Alonso, Ricciardo,
Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Magnussen, Vergne, and Button in tenth. For Force
India's Perez he would have a software issue seeing him having to start from
the pit lane. It was dry at the start but there was the possibility of rain
about an hour into the race. With no one running the dry tyre in qualifying
all drivers were free to choose which tyre to start the race on. They have
either the hard or medium tyre to use and everyone except Perez would use
the medium tyre for the race start. The grid would move away on their parade
lap with Hamilton leading.
He would return
to the gird and the grid would form up and it would be a good start from
Rosberg getting in front of Vettel. Hamilton was leading while at the back
Bianchi and Maldonado would make contact at Turn four. Ricciardo was third
from Vettel and Alonso. Felipe was running in ninth having started
thirteenth. Valtteri was now twelfth as Alonso challenged Hulkenberg for
sixth. Magnussen was now in seventh as
Raikkonen slowed with a flat rear tyre. Perez would retire as Bianchi pitted
on lap two with no left rear tyre. Valtteri was now in tenth as Hamilton led
by 3.2 seconds. Vergne would also pit taking on the hard tyre as Button
tried to pass Magnussen at Turn one. Raikkonen would pit taking on a new set
of medium tyres.
Felipe and
Valtteri were now running ninth and tenth as Vettel passed Ricciardo at Turn
one using his DRS. Felipe and Magnussen were fighting over eighth and ninth
as Valtteri watched the pair in tenth. Lap four and Hamilton was leading by
3.9 seconds over Rosberg. Lap five and Kvyat would pass Gutierrez for
eleventh at Turn one using his DRS. Replays had shown Magnussen making
contact with Raikkonen's right rear seeing parts of the wing fly off. The
Williams pair were running close together as it was announced that the
collision between Raikkonen and Magnussen was now under investigation.
Bianchi would get a five second stop and go penalty as Valtteri complained
that he had more pace than Felipe running in front. Maldonado was told
to pit to retire his car, which he would do on lap eight. Hamilton was now
leading by 5.2 seconds from Rosberg, Vettel, Ricciardo, Alonso, Hulkenberg,
and Button seventh.
Lap ten and Magnussen would pit
getting a new front wing and new medium tyres. Bianchi also came in for his
stop with Felipe and Valtteri now eighth and ninth. But Magnussen was told
that he had a five second penalty for the collision with Raikkonen. Kvyat
would pit from tenth on lap eleven followed by Gutierrez and Chilton. Lap
twelve and Alonso would pit taking on medium tyres as Sutil also came in
from eleventh. Ericsson would also pit. Lap thirteen and Ricciardo would
also pit followed by Felipe and Grosjean. Alonso was able to just get past
Ricciardo going into Turn one but Ricciardo was able to get back in front of
the Ferrari. The next lap and Vettel would pit with Button also coming in.
Both Red Bull cars would get past Valtteri as Rosberg was told to pit.
Alonso would also use his new tyres to get past Valtteri as Rosberg pitted.
Valtteri would pit having been struggling for grip.
Hamilton would
pit on lap sixteen with Hulkenberg taking the lead with Hamilton second.
Kobayashi would pit from tenth as Hamilton passed Hulkenberg retaking the
lead. Lap seventeen and Hulkenberg would pit again taking the medium tyre.
The order was now Hamilton from Rosberg, Vettel, Ricciardo, Alonso,
Hulkenberg, Button, Felipe, Kvyat, and in tenth Valtteri. Such were the gaps
that there was no real fights over positions in the top ten. Hamilton was
leading now by 9.0 seconds as Raikkonen pitted on lap nineteen taking on the
hard tyre. Vergne would pit to retire on lap twenty. Valtteri was able to
close the gap to ninth placed Kvyat with Felipe 7.5 seconds ahead of the
Torro Rosso. Valtteri would pass Kvyat at Turn one using his DRS. Felipe was
2.1 seconds behind Button but closing. So the Williams pair were now eighth
and ninth having started from thirteenth and eighteenth.
Kvyat would pit on lap twenty
three switching to the hard tyre. The next lap Gutierrez would pit from
thirteenth dropping to seventeenth, also taking on the hard tyre. Magnussen
and Sutil would pit from eleventh and twelfth with Magnussen taking his five
second penalty. Lap twenty six and Button would pit from seventh, with
Grosjean also coming in. Button was still on the medium tyre as Gutierrez
passed Ericsson and Chilton to be fifteenth. Felipe and Valtteri were now
seventh and eighth. Kvyat was again in tenth and Kobayashi eleventh as
Ericsson pitted on lap twenty eight. Alonso and Felipe would pit Alonso
taking on the hard tyre while Felipe keeps the option tyre. Felipe would
come back out in ninth as Ricciardo pitted on lap twenty nine, also taking
the hard tyre. Magnussen would pass Kobayashi for eleventh going down the
start straight.
Valtteri would
pit on lap thirty one also taking the medium tyre for his second run.
Grosjean was able to get past Kobayashi for twelfth but the Caterham driver
was able to get back in front. The order was Hamilton from Rosberg, Vettel,
Hulkenberg, Ricciardo, Alonso, Button, Felipe, Valtteri, and Magnussen
tenth. Vettel would pit on lap thirty two taking on the medium tyre in a
different strategy to team-mate
Ricciardo. Valtteri would set a new fastest lap as Rosberg pitted taking on
new medium tyres coming back out behind Hulkenberg. Lap thirty four and
Hamilton would pit coming back out still in the lead. Hulkenberg was second
from Rosberg and a close following Vettel. Sutil would stop his car just
after the final corner as Hulkenberg pitted taking on the hard tyre. He
would come back out in sixth as on lap thirty six Kvyat and Raikkonen would
pit. Felipe and Valtteri were again running in eighth and ninth while at the
front Hamilton was now leading by 12.0 seconds over Rosberg. Gutierrez would
pit to retire.
There were reports of light rain but not enough to worry the drivers. Alonso
had closed in onto Ricciardo with the gap now 1.2 seconds. Felipe was also
closing the gap to Button but Button would pit on lap forty taking on the
hard tyre. Magnussen would also come in for his next stop coming back out to
be lapped by Hamilton. Lap forty one and Ricciardo would pit but he was told
to stop as he went down the pit lane. He
had swapped to mediums but his left front tyre was not on properly. He would
be pushed back and the mechanic would properly attach the tyre but this had
ruined Ricciardo's race. He was also now under investigation for an unsafe
release. Felipe was now in sixth and Valtteri seventh. Alonso would take his
final stop on lap forty three taking on the medium tyre. Felipe was also
come in swapping to the hard tyre
as Ricciardo was seen with his front nose dragging on the ground cutting his
front right tyre.
Felipe would come back out in eighth while replays showed Ricciardo's front
wing failing as he went down the start straight. Valtteri was now sixth but
yet to take his final stop. He would pit on lap forty five taking on the
hard tyre for his run to the flag. He would come back out in eighth.
Ricciardo was given a ten second stop and go penalty for his unsafe release
while for Williams Felipe was right behind Button
while Valtteri started to close in onto Felipe. The Williams pair were in
seventh and eighth. Button will increase his pace to pull out a 1.2 second
lead over Felipe. Vettel would pit on lap fifty taking on the hard tyre with
Rosberg coming in for his hard tyres on the next lap. Team-mate Hamilton
would pit on lap fifty two also taking on the hard tyre. Raikkonen was
looking to pass eleventh placed Grosjean as Ricciardo retired in his pit.
Alonso had closed the gap to Hulkenberg challenging for fourth.
Felipe and Valtteri continued to
run in seventh and eighth as Valtteri was told that he was faster than
Felipe and that he should pass him. Felipe was told not to hold up Valtteri
as Alonso passed Hulkenberg for fourth. Felipe was told again to not hinder
Valtteri and that Valtteri was quicker. Now we hard both Williams drivers
racing each other with Felipe continuing to lead Valtteri. Button was still
leading the Williams pair as Hamilton started his final lap. He would cross
the finish line to take victory in the 2014 Malaysian Grand Prix. Rosberg
would finish second making it a one-two for Mercedes. Vettel was third from
Alonso, Hulkenberg, Button, Felipe, Valtteri, Magnussen, and Kvyat in tenth.
There will no doubt be much discussion over Felipe maintaining his position
head of Valtteri but Williams came away with another good
points collection with the pair collecting ten points. Yes Valtteri may have
passed Button for sixth but they really did not have the pace to run
anything higher than just inside the top ten.
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