Portuguese GP: Still no points for Williams Racing
By Andrew Hooper
October 26 2020
The 2020 Portuguese GP would see the Williams Racing Team again failt to secure any points in what was very much a race of differing fortunes for team drivers George Russell and Nicholas Latiifi. For George he would come away from the race with what was a extremely encouraging result sepite finishing in 14th. For Nichola Latifi his race was far more hard going finding himself just slipping backwards as the race progressed. Nicholas would finish in 18th. For Williams the race would see a great drive from George but just that bit of luck didn't go the teams way. But the take away from the race was the fact that they were legitimately fighting with other teams which was such a massive step forward.
Williams Racing Portuguese Grand Prix Race Review
The Williams Racing Team would
see their drivers start the sixty six lap Portuguese Grand Prix from 14th
and 20th positions with George Russell leading team-mate Nicholas Latifi.
Both drivers would start the race on the medium tyre while the top ten would
see Hamilton on pole from Bottas, Verstappen, Leclerc, Perez, Albon, Sainz,
Norris, Gasly and Ricciardo in tenth. Of these drivers the medium tyre would
be used by both Mercedes drivers and Leclerc. The rest were on the soft
tyre. Outside the top ten those of the soft tyre was only Raikkonen with
Magnussen on the hard. The rest of the grid were on the medium.
The grid would complete their parade lap and the start would see Hamilton
leading from Bottas. Perez would get involved in a collision with Verstappen
as chaos commenced occurred around them. Verstappen had hit the rear of
Perez's car seeing Perez spin while Verstappen was able to continue.
Eventually Perez would get going but was way down the field. Bottas would
get past Hamilton with Sainz past Hamilton and into second. Hamilton was
third followed by Norris and Verstappen. But as light rain started to fall
Sainz would pass Bottas for the lead. The Williams drivers would settle into
13th for George Russell and 17th for Nicholas. Lap four and Sainz continued
to lead from Bottas and Hamilton. Norris was now fourth followed by
Verstappen, Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Leclerc, Gasly and Stroll tenth.
Verstappen was able to move up to fourth passing Norris.
Bottas was able to retake the
lead passing Sainz with Hamilton also getting past the McLaren. Lap nine and
Verstappen would move up to third seeing Sainz fourth followed by Norris.
Leclerc would pass Norris for fifth using the DRS. Raikkonen had dropped to
eighth to be ahead of Gasly. For Williams George was still running in 13th
but dropping away from Ocon who was in 12th. Nicholas was now 18th.
Raikkonen would pit on lap thirteen seeing him last but now on the medium
tyre. Ocon would pass Albon for tenth with the Red Bull on the soft tyre.
After his tangle with Verstappen Perez was now 18th having passed Nicholas
who was 19th. Vettel would pass George for 12th seeing the Williams now
13th.
Leclerc was now fourth followed by Sainz, Gasly, Norris and Stroll now
eighth. Bottas continued to lead Hamilton with Verstappen third. Perez was
now in 15th as he moved forward. Stroll would make contact with the McLaren
of Norris damaging his front wing. He would recover running in 11th but
Norris would be forced to pit with damage with his car. Stroll would also be
forced to pit seeing Norris and Stroll 19th and 20th. Nicholas was now in
16th while with pit stops George was now 9th. Albon had also pitted coming
back out in 18th. Perez was now up to 12th behind Kvyat. But quickly he
would get past seeing Perez now 11th. Lap twenty two and Hamilton who had
been able to get past continued to lead Bottas from Verstappen, Leclerc,
Gasly, Sainz, Ocon, Vettel, George, and Giovinazzi tenth.
Perez would move into tenth now
two seconds behind George. Stroll was last and would get a five second
penalty for his incident with Norris. George was showing reasonable pace but
would be passed by Perez and was now 10th. Nicholas would pit and would
return on the hard tyre returning in 19th. Sainz would pit on lap twenty
eight returning in 14th. He was joined by Grosjean who was now in 17th with
Sainz on the medium and Grosjean the hard. Vettel would pit from eighth
seeing George able to move into eighth. Vettel would return in 15th and on
the hard tyre. Raikkonen would now be back up to 11th and Ricciardo now
tenth. Gasly would also pit joined by Giovinazzi. Gasly was now eighth and
Giovinazzi 16th. This would see George now seventh but yet to pit. Stroll
would get another five second penalty for exceeding track limits.
Perez was now sixth running
behind Ocon. Finally Perez would pass the Renault for fifth. Leclerc would
pit from third on lap thirty six dropping to fourth. George would finally
pit on lap thirty dropping to 14th taking on the hard. But Giovinazzi would
pass the Williams seeing George now 15th. Hamilton would pit on lap forty
two followed the next lap by Bottas. Both Mercedes were now on the hard
tyre. Verstappen was third followed by Leclerc, Perez, Ocon, Ricciardo,
Gasly, Sainz and Raikkonen tenth. Norris would pit dropping to 17th having
slow puncture. This would see George now 14th as Albon pitted on lap forty
nine returning in 12th and on the soft tyre. Perez had also pitted switching
to the soft now in sixth. George would finally pass Giovinazzi for 13th but
was 6.6s behind Albon. Ocon would pit on lap fifty six and would return in
eighth and on the soft tyre.
Norris was able to get past George seeing the Williams now 14th. Nicholas
was still running in 18th. And as the final laps wound down this is where
they would finish their races. At the front Hamilton would go onto win from
Bottas, Verstappen, Leclerc, Gasly, Sainz, Perez, Ocon, Ricciardo and Vettel
in tenth. For Williams the race would see a great drive from George but just
that bit of luck didn't go the teams way. But the take away from the race
was the fact that they were legitimately fighting with other teams which was
such a massive step forward.
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