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Abu Dhabi GP: Expected qualifying result for ROKiT Williams


By Andrew Hooper
November 30 2019

The final qualifying session of the 2019 season at the Abu Dhabi GP would see the ROKiT Williams Team achieve what was an expected result with their drivers again slowest. After practice their pace was such that it was not looking promising in qualifying. George Russell would again finish ahead of team-mate Robert Kubica making it 21-0 in George's favour over Robert in the 2019 qualifying sessions. But one bit of consolation is the fact that the gap to the cars in front of them is a lot closer than expected.

 
 ROKiT Williams Racing Abu Dhabi GP Qualifying
 
Kubica
 

Team Summary:
As the sun started to set the opening eighteen minute period would get underway. Both Williams drivers were out on soft tyres for their first runs. As the track started to fill it would be Albon who would set a 1m:37.699 to be quickest. Perez was second followed by Raikkonen. Verstappen would go quickest with a 1m:36.390 now followed by Leclerc, Sainz and Norris. Vettel would spin at the final turn as he started his flying lap. At the front Hamilton would go quickest with a 1m:36.231 followed by Verstappen and Bottas. Leclerc and Vettel were now fourth and fifth. Sixth was Albon followed by Sainz, Norris, Ricciardo and Hulkenberg tenth. Hamilton would improve with a 1m:35.851 with Bottas now second. With the end of the period both Williams drivers would again see themselves in that group of drivers who would be knocked out.

The second period of qualifying would see both Mercedes set their times on the medium tyre. They would be joined by the Red Bull's while all the rest of the fifteen would be on the soft tyre. Hamilton had set a 1m:35.634 to be quickest. Bottas was second but Leclerc would go quickest. Hamilton was now second followed by Bottas, Vettel, Verstappen, Sainz, Albon, Norris, Ricciardo and Hulkenberg tenth. The final period of qualifying would see Hamilton quickest with a 1m:34.779 followed by Bottas, Verstappen, Leclerc, Vettel, Albon, Norris, Ricciardo, Sainz and Hulkenberg tenth. For Williams it was very much a repeat of all those qualifying sessions before it. But one bit of consolation is the fact that the gap to the cars in front of them is a lot closer than expected.

 
Russell
 

Robert Kubica:
Robert was out for his first run in Q1 using the soft tyre. Robert would set a 1m:41.123 to be 3.4s off the quickest time. Robert would pit after a three lap run. Short stop and Robert would return on another set of soft tyres. Despite pushing hard he would only manage a 1m:39.236 to remain slowest.

George Russell:
George would head out for his first run in Q1 using the soft tyre. George would set a 1m:39.566 to be ahead of his team-mate by 1.5s. George would improve with a 1m:39.153 to be 17th. He would pit after a five lap run. George would come out for a second run again on the soft tyre. George would set a 1m:38.717 to remain ahead of his team-mate by 0.519s. When asked about his qualifying George commented: "It was good as prior to the weekend we were expecting to be a second away from the next car."

 

Kubica

 

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