Italian GP: Difficult qualifying for Williams

The final practice session for the 2012 Italian Grand Prix would see Williams F1 drivers Pastor Maldonado and Bruno Senna finish in tenth and thirteenth. Now it was down to qualifying with Pastor knowing that no matter where he qualifies he will drop ten places due to a ten place grid penalty as a result of problems that Pastor had in the recent Belgium Grand Prix. As for Bruno's pace he has being outside the top ten all weekend so it may be difficult for him to make it past Q2. Another driver to suffer a five place grid penalty would be Di Resta for a gearbox change. The drivers would have the choice between the medium and hard Pirelli tyres as the first twenty minute period commenced with Frank Williams in the Williams pit watching his drivers.

The period would commence with Ricciardo first out followed by D'Ambrosio in his Lotus. Vergne was next out joined by Di Resta, Pic, Perez, Hulkenberg, Glock and both Mercedes cars. Both Red Bull cars would come out joined by Bruno for Williams. Ricciardo would set a 1m:26.760 with D'Ambrosio setting a 1m:26.712 to be fastest. Vergne was third as Hulkenberg ran straight on at the first chicane. Di Resta was now fastest with a 1m:25.384. Bruno was on the hard tyre as Perez went second. Hulkenberg would stop as with a technical problem as Rosberg went fastest with a 1m:25.209. Schumacher was now second with a 1m:25.302. Webber was down in tenth with a time of 1m:30.622. Button and Pastor had yet to come out as Raikkonen went fourth and Di Resta moved from third to go fastest with a 1m:25.005.

Di Resta would be first out at the start of the second fifteen minute period. Raikkonen, Ricciardo, and Bruno would also come out. The medium tyre was the tyre of choice except for D'Ambrosio who was on the hard. Only the McLaren's were yet to come out as the drivers started their timed laps. Button was out on the track as Di Resta set a 1m:24.668 followed by Raikkonen who set a 1m:25.182. Ricciardo was third but he was passed by Vergne and then Pastor. Alonso was now fastest with a 1m:24.242. Bruno was eighth with a 1m:28.444 as Vettel moved into third with a 1m:25.099. Perez was now fifth and Pastor sixth. Bruno had dropped to tenth as we now had Hamilton out on the track. Massa was now second with a time of 1m:24.505 as Schumacher went fourth.

Button was flying, fastest in sector one and two, but he would finish in second with a 1m:24.255. Rosberg was now up to fourth, 1m:24.515, with Pastor eleventh but he would improve to be eighth, 1m:25.036. Bruno was now ninth, 1m:25.042. Hamilton was up to third, 1m:24.394, while Vettel was now ninth, 1m:24.833. Webber was struggling only in thirteenth. Drivers would pit including both Williams cars. With six minutes remaining only Ricciardo was out on the track. Bruno would come back out on a set of medium tyres with five minutes remaining. Both Red Bull cars were back out joined by Pastor, Perez, Kobayashi, and Vergne. Di Resta was back out, currently in sixth, while Pastor would improve to be ninth, 1m:24.820. Bruno was now twelfth with the top five yet to come back out. Schumacher was also in his pit as Kobayashi went eighth seeing Pastor now tenth.

The last minute would count down as Di Resta went third with a 1m:24.345 as Vettel went ninth as the period ended. Webber went eleventh seeing Pastor now twelfth and Bruno fourteenth. D'Ambrosio would go sixteenth on his last lap and with the end of the period those not making the cut were Webber, Pastor, Perez, Bruno, Ricciardo, D'Ambrosio, and Vergne. The top ten was Alonso from Button, Di Resta, Hamilton, Massa, Rosberg, Schumacher, Kobayashi, Vettel, and Raikkonen. For the Williams team this was the end of their qualifying with Pastor now starting the race from twenty second and Bruno thirteenth. Given these positions Sunday's race is going to be difficult to come away with a good points scoring result.

The final ten minute period would commence with Alonso out first followed by Massa. Di Resta was next out followed by Vettel. Both McLaren's were now out on the track with eight minutes remaining. Both Ferrari's would start their timed laps with Massa setting a 1m:24.436 while Alonso would set a 1m:30.976 after having slowed allowing Massa past. Di Resta would pit as Hamilton was flying. Button would set a 1m:24.479 to be second while Hamilton would set a 1m:24.010 to be fastest seeing Massa now second from Button and Vettel. Both Mercedes cars were out on the track while both Ferrari's had pitted. Both McLaren's would also come in joined by Vettel. Kobayashi and Raikkonen were now also out on the track as Rosberg went fourth with a 1m:24.833. Schumacher was also on a quick lap seeing him finish with a 1m:24.540 to be fourth pushing Rosberg to be fifth.

Both Ferrari's and McLaren's were back out seeing all ten drivers out. Kobayashi was also on his timed lap setting a 1m:25.109 to be eighth. Di Resta was fastest in sector one and a personal best in sector two. Di Resta would finish with a 1m:24.304 to be second. The period would come to an end with Alonso well down while it was looking like Massa would finish ahead of Alonso. Massa was second but Button would go second with a 1m:24.133 while Hamilton could not improve but would remain on pole. This would see a McLaren one-two beating Williams record. Alonso could only manage tenth. Massa would finish third from Di Resta, Schumacher, Vettel, Rosberg, Raikkonen, Kobayashi, and Alonso. For Williams both Pastor and Bruno would have the choice of tyre for the start but Sunday's race is going to be a difficult time and their choice of strategy is going to be even more vital.