Azerbaijan GP: FP3 further difficulties for Williams Racing
By Andrew Hooper
June 6 2021
The final practice session for the 2021 Azerbaijan GP would see the Williams Racing Team again finish down the times with Nicholas Latifi 16th and George Russell 18th. But the session was made even more frustrating as George was to suffer an engine related issue that would see him stop on the track losing valuable time in the session. The team would also now be faced with the challenge of repairing George's car in the short time before qualifying.
Williams
Racing Azerbaijan GP Saturday Practice
Team Summary:
After a tough opening day of practice the Williams Racing Team would be
looking for an improved performance in Saturdays practice for the 2021
Azerbaijan Grand Prix. With the start of the session it would be the Haas
cars out first running on the soft tyre. Mazepin would set a 1m:46.711 to
lead his team-mate. Alonso was next out on the medium tyre joined by Bottas
also on the medium. Norris, Ricciardo, and Perez were all out running on the
hard tyre. Hamilton was running on the medium while Tsunoda and both Alfa
Romeos were out on the soft. Alonso was now second as both Ferrari's were
out runing on the medium tyre. Now Norris was fastest only to see Ricciardo
then Perez goes faster with Perez setting a 1m:44.404. Giovinazzi was second
followed by Raikkonen and Tsunoda all on the soft tyre.
Both Red Bull cars were on the hard tyre with Verstappen's car covered in
flow viz. Ricciardo was now fifth followed by Norris but this would change
as Gasly went second fastest using the soft tyre. Tsunoda would set a
1m:43.447 to be quickest from Leclerc and Sainz who were both on the medium
tyre. Perez was now fourth followed by Ricciardo, Gasly, Hamilton,
Giovinazzi, Raikkonen and Bottas tenth. The sole Williams that had set a
time was 13th but the other would move into 16th. Gasly was now quickest
with a 1m:43.187 followed by team-mate Tsunoda and Leclerc. For Verstappen
his session would go wrong when he would go into the barriers at Turn 15
damaging his front steering. This would see a Red Flag as the Red Bull was
stuck in a dangerous position.
The Williams pair were currently 16th and 17th with thirty minutes
remaining. Verstappen was fifth at the time of his accident. The session
would restart with both Williams cars coming out remaining on the soft tyre.
They would drop to 17th and 18th but we would see one car move up to sixth
then seventh. Stroll was now in fourth. More drivers would come out for
their soft tyre qualifying runs. Ricciardo was able to get a clear lap to be
fourth. Leclerc would go quickest but Perez would move ahead with a
1m:42.595. With the issue with one of the Williams a Virtual Safety Car was
deployed but as the car was cleared it would end. As the final minutes of
the session counted down it would be Gasly quickest with a 1m:42.251 from
Perez and now Hamilton. Leclerc was now fourth followed by Sainz, Norris,
Alonso, Tsunoda, Ocon and Ricciardo tenth. With the end of the session the
Williams cars would finish in 16th and 18th and one was facing a repair when
it gets back to the Williams garage.
Nicholas Latifi:
Nicholas would be first ut for Williams running on the soft tyre. He would
set a 1m:45.607 to currently be 9th. This would become 13th as others
improved and then 14th. Nicholas would improve with a 1m:45.027 but remained
14th. His time would see him dropt o 17th and was right behind his
team-mate. Nicholas would pit with Verstappen's Red Flag. Nicholas would
return with the restart again on the soft tyre. Nicholas was on an improved
lap setting a 1m:44.054 to be sixth on what was most likely a qualifying
run. He would drop to 7th and a short while later would take to the escape
road at Turn 3 but would recover and continue. He would drop to eighth as
the session progressed. More times were set as Nicholas dropped to 12th. he
would pit after a seven lap run on the soft tyre. As the session came to an
ended Nicholas had dropped to 16th.
George Russell:
With just over forty minutes remaining George would come out using the soft
tyre. He would set a 1m:45.809 to be 15th. This would become 17th as others
moved ahead of him. A 1m:45.069 and George would move into 16th. He would
pit after a four lap run and a Red Flag from another drivers accident. With
the restart George was back out on the soft tyre but would quickly return to
the pitlane quickly coming back out. But again he would pit and after a
short time in his pit would return this time on a new soft tyre. His flying
lap would see him set a 1m:44.434 would see him only 16th. But George would
be forced to stop saying to his team that he had no power. When he stopped
he left a trail of what was either engine of hydraulic oil. This was an end
to the session for George. He would drop to 18th as he watched his car moved
behind the barrier.
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