Hungarian GP: Qualifying sees Williams Martini 6th and 8th


By Andrew Hooper
July 25 2015

After a difficult practice session leading up to qualifying the Williams Martini team were able to improve their fortunes finishing qualifying in 6th and 8th. Valtteri Bottas was able to finish ahead of his team-mate Felipe Massa after their first runs on the sopft tyre in the final period but neither driver was able to improve on their second runs. Now it comes down to their race performance for Sunday's race as well as a good strategy on what is a difficult track to pass.

 
  Williams Martini Hungarian GP Qualifying
 
BOttas
 

Team Summary:
Q1: Having failed to get into the top ten in the final practice session there was a bit of a question how the Williams Martini drivers would perform in qualifying. With the start of the eighteen minute first period it would be a short wait before the first cars came out. Rosberg would be first out on the medium tyre. Both Williams drivers would come out on the medium tyre with a 1m:24.9 lap seen as the cut off point. The first time was a 1m:24.293 from Hamilton to be quickest from Rosberg. After their first runs Valtteri and Felipe were third and fifth but they would drop down the order.

Vettel was second from Rosberg, Ricciardo, and Valtteri. Felipe had dropped to ninth with eleven minutes remaining. Both Williams drivers were on improved laps but Valtteri would pit. Felipe would complete his lap but was down in twelfth to become thirteenth. Both Williams drivers were in their pits but Valtteri would come back out first this time on the soft tyre. Felipe was till in his pit with six minutes remaining. Only the top two had yet to come out on the soft tyre as Valtteri went quickest from Hamilton and Ricciardo. But Rosberg would go quickest with a 1m:22.979 followed by Vettel, Kvyat, Raikkonen. Valtteri would drop to fifth. Everyone was on the soft tyre and with the end of the period Valtteri and Felipe were sixth and eighth as Hamilton went quickest with a 1m:22.890.

Q2: Both Williams drivers were able to move into the second period. Valtteri was just 0.7 off the quickest time. The fifteen minute period would commence with very little interest from the drivers to come out. For Williams it would be Valtteri out first running on used soft tyres. Felipe would follow him out on the same used tyres. After their first runs Vettel was quickest with a 1m:23.168 from Raikkonen and Rosberg. But the period would be stopped seeing everyone pit. This came as a result of Alonso stopping his car close to the pit entry. Prior to the red flag Felipe and Valtteri were fifth and sixth.

The period would re-start with both Mercedes cars out first. New sets of soft tyres were put on the Williams cars with Valtteri back out first. Hamilton would go quickest with a 1m:22.285 with Rosberg second followed by Vettel. With two minutes remaining Felipe and Valtteri were ninth and tenth. Both Williams drivers started quicker laps as the final minute of the session started. Valtteri would move up to sixth and Felipe eighth. The period would end with their positions remaining unchanged.

Q3: So both Williams cars would start in the final part of qualifying which was a good performance. The final period would commence with again no rush out onto the circuit. Valtteri would come out while Rosberg would set a 1m:22.766 for the first time. Hamilton would go faster with a 1m:22.408. Both Mercedes cars were on used soft tyres as Vettel went third followed by Ricciardo. Valtteri was in sixth after his first run and would pit. Felipe would also pit with both Williams drivers returning on a further new set of soft tyres. All ten drivers were out on the track as Hamilton set a 1m:22.020 to remain quickest. With the end of the period Valtteri and Felipe would be sixth and eighth. The Williams drivers did not have the pace now it would come down to the race pace on Sunday.

 
Massa
 

Felipe Massa:
Q1: Felipe would follow Valtteri out onto the track. Felipe's first lap was a 1m:25.987 to be fifth. A 1m:25.709 from Felipe but he was down in twelfth. Felipe would also pit and would see himself drop to fourteenth. Felipe was back out using the soft tyre. Felipe was able to set a time of 1m:23.895 currently in seventh. He would dropt o eighth as he pitted.

Q2: Felipe would follow Valtteri out also on used soft tyres. Felipe would set a 1m:24.470 to be ahead of Valtteri. He would also pit after that one time. After the short red flag Felipe would follow Valtteri back out also on new soft tyres. A 1m:23.598 from Felipe would see him eighth. He would be just 0.043 behind Valtteri with the pair equally matched.

Q3: With nine minutes remaining Felipe was still in his pit maybe looking at a single run. But he would come out with just over seven minutes remaining. Felipe was on his lap and would set a 1m:23.819 to be eighth. He would pit taking on a new set of soft tyres coming back out. Felipe would also fail to improve remaining in eighth.

 
Bottas
 

Valtteri Bottas:
Q1:
Valtteri would be first out for Williams running on the medium tyre and his first lap was a 1m:25.372 to be third. Having pitted Valtteri would drop to eighth having failed to set a quicker time. After his stop Valtteri would return running on the soft tyre. Valtteri would go quickest in sector one and would complete his lap setting a 1m:23.649 to be quickest. Valtteri would pit again currently in fifth. This would become sixth as he returned to the pit lane.

Q2: Valtteri would take to the track on used soft tyres dropping back from Vettel to give himself a clear lap. Valtteri's first time was a 1m:24.520 and he would pit currently sixth. On new soft tyres Valtteri would return to the track and would set a 1m:23.555 to be sixth.

Q3: Valtteri would be first out for Williams running on new soft tyres. His first lap was a 1m:23.222 to be fifth. He would pit currently sixth. Valtteri would fail to improve and would pit remaining in sixth.

 
Massa
 

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Hungarian GP: Qualifying sees Williams Martini 6th and 8th
Discussion started by Williams F1 , 25/07/2015 14:39
Williams F1
25/07/2015 14:39
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