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Russian GP: Another struggle in FP3 for ROKiT Williams


By Andrew Hooper
September 28 2019

The final practice session for the 2019 Russian GP would again prove to be a struggle for the ROKiT Williams team with their drivers down in 18th & 20th. George Russell was again ahead of team-mate Robert Kubica. The session would see both drivers focus on the soft tyre but George did have one run on the medium tyre. As for qualifying the prospects for the Williams team was such that based on their practice times it was not looking like they had any real chance of making it past the first period. The gap between the Williams drivers was at 0.9s so Robert was still struggling for pace compared to his team-mate. 

 
 ROKiT Williams Russian GP Saturday Practice
 
Kubica
 

Team Summary:
The final sixty minute practice session for the 2019 Russian Grand Prix would see a sl,ow trickle of drivers coming out. Both Williams drivers would complete installation runs but with fifteen minutes of the session completed no times had been set. But times would start to come with just over forty minutes remaining with Leclerc going quickest with a 1m:34.147 followed by Vettel, Norris, Hamilton, Bottas, Grosjean and Magnussen. There had been rain overnight which no doubt would have an effect on the track. The Virtual safety Car would be deployed as a result of Kvyat pulling off the track just past the pit exit with an engine problem.

The Virtual safety Car would be cleared and Leclerc had improved his time with a 1m:33.906 to be 0.609 ahead of Vettel. Bottas on the soft tyre was now third followed by Verstappen, Hamilton and Hulkenberg sixth. Bottas would improve to be second now followed by Verstappen and Hamilton with Vettel now fifth. Leclerc was able on new soft tyres set a 1m:32.861 to improve his fastest time with Vettel now second. Hamilton would improve to be second with Vettel third and Bottas fourth. Leclerc would make another run and would set a 1m:32.733 to be ahead of Hamilton by 0.396. Vettel would move up to second followed by the Mercedes. Verstappen was now fifth followed by Grosjean, Norris, Magnussen, Gasly and Sainz in tenth.

Hulkenberg would move up to seventh while the Williams drivers were 18th and 20th with a few minutes remaining. The session would end with the Williams positions remaining unchanged. The top ten would be Leclerc, Vettel, Hamilton, Bottas, Verstappen, Grosjean, Albon, Hulkenberg, Norris, and Magnussen tenth. As for qualifying the prospects for the Williams team was such that based on their practice times it was not looking like they had any real chance of making it past the first period. The gap between the Williams drivers was at 0.9s so Robert was still struggling for pace compared to his team-mate.

Robert Kubica:
Robert would follow his team-mate out also on the soft tyres but would complete a 1m:38.191 prior to pitting. He would return for a second run again on the soft tyre but it would take a few laps before he would improve with a 1m:37.860. He would find further time with a 1m:37.243 to now be 0.574 behind his team-mate. He would pit after a seven lap run. Robert would follow his team-mate out again on the soft tyre and would set a 1m:36.942 to be 0.773 behind his team-mate. With the end of the session Robert would pit after an eight lap run.

George Russell:
George would be first out in the session fro Williams completing a single installation lap running on the soft tyre. George would return but was running on the medium tyre. He would set a 1m:37.576 to be eleventh. George would improve with a 1m:37.417 but two laps later would set a 1m:36.669. George would pit after a seven lap run. Just under twenty minutes remaining and George would return this time on the soft tyre. He would improve with a 1m:36.169 to be 17th. he would drop to 19th as others went quicker. A 1m:36.083 but he remained 19th. But with eight laps completed George would set a 1m:36.011 to now be 18th. George would pit after a nine lap run.

 
Russell
 
Pos Driver Car Time Gap Laps
1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1m32.733s - 14
2 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1m33.049s 0.316s 15
3 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m33.129s 0.396s 19
4 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1m33.354s 0.621s 18
5 Max Verstappen Red Bull-Honda 1m34.227s 1.494s 12
6 Romain Grosjean Haas-Ferrari 1m34.308s 1.575s 17
7 Alexander Albon Red Bull-Honda 1m34.371s 1.638s 21
8 Nico Hulkenberg Renault 1m34.421s 1.688s 13
9 Lando Norris McLaren-Renault 1m34.527s 1.794s 15
10 Kevin Magnussen Haas-Ferrari 1m34.546s 1.813s 15
11 Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso-Honda 1m34.564s 1.831s 16
12 Daniel Ricciardo Renault 1m34.586s 1.853s 14
13 Carlos Sainz Jr. McLaren-Renault 1m34.607s 1.874s 18
14 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo-Ferrari 1m34.766s 2.033s 15
15 Sergio Perez Racing Point-Mercedes 1m34.860s 2.127s 7
16 Lance Stroll Racing Point-Mercedes 1m34.898s 2.165s 16
17 Kimi Raikkonen Alfa Romeo-Ferrari 1m35.714s 2.981s 19
18 George Russell Williams-Mercedes 1m36.011s 3.278s 18
19 Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso-Honda 1m36.081s 3.348s 4
20 Robert Kubica Williams-Mercedes 1m36.942s 4.209s 19
 
Kubica
 

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Russian GP: Another struggle in FP3 for ROKiT Williams
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