Emilia Romagna GP: Williams Racing close to further points
By Andrew Hooper
April 24 2022
The results of the 2022 Emilia Romagna GP would see the Williams Racing Team achieve a result that saw them finish so close to achieving their second point scoring result of the season. Alex Albon would finish in 11th in what was another fantastic performance while Nicholas Latifi would finish in 16th. Both cars would start on the intermediate tyre switching to the medium which they would use to the finish. A result very much one of what could have been but still another great race performance from Alex and for Nicholas just the satisfaction of finishing and setting what looked like reasonably competitive lap times must be good for his confidence.
Williams Racing
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Race Review
The Sprint race
would see the Williams racing Team drivers start Sundays sixty three lap
2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix from 18th and 19th with Alex Albon ahead of
team-mate Nicholas Latifi. At the front of the grid it would be Verstappen
from Leclerc, Perez, Sainz, Norris, Ricciardo, Bottas, Magnussen, Alonso and
Schumacher in tenth. Zhou would be required to start his race from the oit
lane after his crash in the Sprint. With rain having fallen prior to the
race start the track was damp but not wet enough for the full wet weather
tyre so the grid would all start on the intermediate tyre.
The field would complete their parade lap and with the start it would be
Verstappen leading from Perez and Norris. But there would be contact with
Ricciardo and Sainz seeing the Ferrari stuck in the gravel. This would see
the Williams pair now 15th and 16th while Leclerc was now fourth as the
Safety Car came out. Schumacher had also lost places now 17th with Magnussen
fifth and Russell sixth. Bottas would also be involved in the Ricciardo and
Sainz moment but was able to continue. Ricciardo was last and would pit
returning again on the inters. No further action would be taken in regard to
the Ricciardo Sainz incident.
The Safety Car
would come in and Verstappen would continue to lead. Vettel would pass
Alonso for eighth as the track started to dry in places. Alonso would drop
own the order as it could be seen that he had damaged with parts missing
from his right sidepod. He would be forced to pit and retire seeing Alex and
Nicholas 14th and 15th. Leclerc would pass Norris for third but was 6s
behind the leader. Lap ten and Verstappen was still leading Perez and
Leclerc. Norris was fourth followed by Magnussen, Russell, Bottas, Vettel,
Tsunoda, and Stroll tenth. Russell was trying to make several attempts to
get past Magnussen as Bottas joined their fight.
Russell would finally pass Magnussen for fifth while the Williams pair
continued to run in 14th and 15th. Bottas would pass Magnussen for sixth as
Zhou passed Schumacher for 16th. Leclerc was slowly closing the gap to Perez
as Verstappen continued to lead. Ricciardo would pit from last taking on the
medium tyre. Albon would pit on lap twenty taking on the medium tyre. He was
joined by Gasly and then Perez. The pits would become very busy with most of
the field coming in. This would include Latifi for Williams as the leaders
now pitted. The whole field was now on the medium tyre with the order now
Verstappen from Perez, Leclerc, Norris, Russell, Bottas, Vettel, Magnussen,
Tsunoda, and Stroll tenth.
The Williams
drivers were now 12th and 16th with Alex leading Nicholas by 12s. Ocon would
get a 5s time penalty for an unsafe release in his pit stop. Lap twenty five
and the order was Verstappen leading from Perez and Leclerc. Again we had a
Williams car with fighting in the midfield with Alex. Leclerc would be able
to get right up with Perez after Perez had made a mistake. Nicholas would be
lapped by the leader as Ricciardo pitted on lap thirty three switching to
the hard tyre. Lap thirty five and Verstappen was leading Perez by 10s. The
DRS would be enabled which would leave Alex somewhat exposed.
Lap forty two and the Williams pair were in 12th and 16th as Verstappen
lapped up to tenth placed Stroll. A small part would fall off Nicholas car
ending up on the track. Lap forty nine and Tsunoda would pass Magnussen for
eighth using his DRS on the main straight. Lap fifty one and Leclerc would
pit changing to the soft tyre. He would drop to fourth behind Norris. He
would be followed by Perez on the following lap also going to the soft tyre.
Leclerc would pass Norris for third as Verstappen pitted also going to the
soft tyre. But it would go wrong for Leclerc when he would spin and was
passed by Norris, Russell, Bottas as the Ferrari pitted. He would return in
ninth as Tsunoda passed Vettel for what was now sixth.
The order was
now Verstappen, Perez, Norris, Russell, Bottas, Tsunoda, Vettel, Magnussen,
Leclerc and Stroll tenth. Alex was still in 12th and Nicholas 16th. Leclerc
had taken on new soft tyres as well as a new front wing. Leclerc would pass
Vettel for seventh as Bottas continued to try and get past Russell for
fourth as Leclerc passed Tsunoda for sixth. Verstappen would complete his
final lap taking victory in the race with Perez second followed by Norris.
Russell was fourth followed by Bottas, Leclerc, Tsunoda, Vettel, Magnussen,
and Stroll tenth. Ocon would finish 11th but would receive a 5s penalty
seeing Alex come home 11th and Nicholas 16th. A result very much one of what
could have been but still another great race performance from Alex and for
Nicholas just the satisfaction of finishing and setting what looked like
reasonably competitive lap times must be good for his confidence.
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