Monaco GP: Difficult qualifying for Williams Racing


By Andrew Hooper
May 28 2022

The results of qualifying for the 2022 Monaco GP would see both Williams Racing Team drivers not make it past Q1. The end of the session and Alex Albon would be in 16th while team-mate Nicholas Latifi was 19th. A difficult session for the team made even more so by the fact that Alex was to miss Q2 by the smallest of margins while Nicholas in post session interviews would comment on how the team would find issues with his car and by fixing them totally changed the feeling of his car right before qualifying making his session even more difficult.

 
 Williams Racing Monaco GP Qualifying
 
Latifi
 

Team Summary:
The opening eighteen minute period for the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix would commence with Norris and Schumacher coming out first followed by a rush of drivers all coming out on the soft tyre. The opening times would start to come in and Norris would set a 1m:15.800 to be quickest from Bottas. But it would change quickly as at the front it was now Verstappen quickest, 1m:14.295, from Perez and Hamilton. The Williams cars were currently 13th and 14th but they would drop to 15th and 16th. At the front Perez would be quickest with a 1m:13.292 from Sainz, Verstappen, Alonso, Norris, Russell, Tsunoda and Ricciardo eighth. The Williams drivers were currently 16th and 19th. At the front and Leclerc was again quickest with a 1m:12.939.

The Williams drivers would improve to be now 15th and 18th as we had Sainz now second with Leclerc now improving with a 1m:12.569. Verstappen was now third from Perez and Alonso. Russell was able to move up to be third ahead of both Red Bull's. But the session would be Red Flagged but just prior to that Tsunoda would hit the barrier but he would return to his pit. The period would restart with a 2m:25s left on the clock. There would be a queue of cars at the pit exit as the period restarted.

The Williams cars were right at the front and would be able to start their final lap. The top five cars had not come out for these final runs as the Williams cars started their final laps. But their times would not see them move forward finishing the period in 16th and 19th and both out of qualifying. The top ten would finish with Leclerc fastest from Sainz, Russell, Ocon, Norris, Verstappen, Perez, Magnussen, Tsunoda, and Vettel tenth.

The second period would see Leclerc remain quickest with a 1m:11.864 from Perez, Sainz, Verstappen, Norris, Ocon, Hamilton, Vettel, Russell and Alonso tenth. Neither of the Haas cars would make it past Q2. Now the final period would see the first runs Leclerc quickest from Sainz, Perez, Verstappen, Alonso, Norris, Hamilton< Russell, Vettel, and Ocon tenth. With the next runs it would Leclerc who would secure pole after the session was Red Flagged when we would have a crash involving Perez and Sainz. Sainz was able to finish in second from Perez, Verstappen, Norris, Russell, Alonso, Hamilton, Vettel, and Ocon tenth. As the cars of Perez and Sainz were blocking the track the period would not be resumed. Perez had spun his car and the Ferrari of Sainz had crashed into the Red Bull.

For Williams they would finish qualifying in 16th and 19th. Alex had missed Q2 by the smallest of margins making his qualifying that much more frustrating. The prospects for their race was dependant on the weather and the possibility of rain for the race.

 
Albon
 

Alex Albon:
Alex would be the first for Williams to come out for qualifying using the soft tyre. Alex would set a 1m:17.334 to be currently eighth but he would drop quickly to 16th. But Alex would set a 1m:15.260 to be seventh dropping to ninth. Again as other times were set he would quickly drop to 16th but with a 1m:14.798 he would manage to be 15th. He would pit after a six lap run returning again on new soft tyres. Alex was on an improved lap and would set a 1m:13.626 to be eighth dropping to ninth. He would drop to 11th as he would have to pit with a Red Flag. Alex would return on a new set of soft tyres. He would complete his final lap and would remain 11th but would drop to 15th as quicker times were set. But as further quicker laps went in Alex would drop to 16th and as a result out of qualifying.

Nicholas Latifi:
Nicholas would follow Alex out also using the soft tyre. Nicholas would set a 1m:17.165 to be now 11th. This would become 19th but with a 1m:16.638 he would improve one place now 18th. Nicholas would also pit after a six lap run returning on another set of soft tyres. Nicholas would set a 1m:14.570 to be 16th. He would pit with a Red Flag returning on a new set of soft tyres. He would set a 1m:14.403 dropping to 19th and was out of qualifying. Interviews after the session would see Nicholas comment on how the team had found issues with his car that were resolved for the qualifying session but in doing so totally changed the feeling of his car, not what he wanted right before the session.

 

Latifi

 

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