Italian GP: Single point for Senna

The grid for the 2012 Italian Grand Prix would see Williams F1 drivers Pastor Maldonado and Bruno Senna start from twenty second and thirteenth. Pastor had qualified twelfth but suffered a ten place grid penalty seeing him drop down the order. Given their grid positions the fifty three lap race is going to be a difficult time where strategy is going to play a major role. Pirelli had brought the medium and hard tyre with the top ten all starting on the softer tyre. Given the durability of the tyres there was the view that a one stop strategy was possible, On pole was Hamilton with team-mate Button second. Third was Massa followed by Schumacher, Vettel, Rosberg, Raikkonen, Kobayashi, Di Resta and Alonso in tenth. There would be two DRS zones for the race one on the start-finish straight and the other on the back straight. Bruno was on the softer medium tyre while Pastor would start on the hard tyre.

The grid would move out on the parade lap and would return with Hamilton took his place on pole. The grid would form up and the lights would go out and it would be Hamilton leading with Massa trying to pass at the first chicane. All quite at the first chicane with Button attacking Massa. Schumacher was fourth from Vettel and Raikkonen. Webber was in fourteenth while for Williams Bruno was in eleventh. Pastor was now nineteenth as Hamilton finished lap one. Alonso would pass Raikkonen at the first chicane now running sixth. Bruno was now tenth behind Di Resta. Bruno had made up three places as on lap two Hamilton was leading by 1.4 seconds with Massa still second. Button was now 1.0 seconds behind the Ferrari while Bruno was just 0.3 behind Di Resta.

Lap three and Hamilton's lead was 2.1 seconds as Vettel passed Schumacher for fourth. Bruno had lost a place and was now eleventh behind Perez. Alonso was attacking Schumacher for fifth as Bruno dropped another place this time to Rosberg. He was now twelfth and Pastor continued in nineteenth. Replays showed that Bruno and Rosberg had made contact at the first chicane as Bruno tried to keep Rosberg behind. Bruno was in eleventh while Rosberg felt that Bruno should have let him past. Rosberg would be passed by Webber for twelfth while at the front Alonso would pass Schumacher at the first chicane for fifth. Bruno was again right behind Di Resta while at the front Hamilton was leading by 2.8 seconds after lap seven. Button was 2.0 seconds behind Massa with Vettel right behind the McLaren. Pastor would pass Kovalainen for eighteenth and was now right behind Hulkenberg who had started last and was now running seventeenth. Bruno would have another moment at the second chicane as he was pushed wide by Di Resta.

Vergne would stop at the first chicane after a failure that saw his car fly though the air before coming to a stop. He would retire with his car lifted away. Webber had passed Bruno for eleventh as Bruno recovered from his contact with Di Resta. Bruno wa snow twelfth and closing in onto Webber. But Webber would pass Di Resta for tenth. Bruno was now right behind Di Resta with some cars showing signs of rear degradation. Lap eleven and Hamilton was leading by 3.7 seconds over Massa. Pastor was now seventeenth as a result of Vergne's retirement. Button was third from Vettel, Alonso, Schumacher, Raikkonen, Perez, Kobayashi, and Webber tenth. But Webber was now eighteen seconds behind the leader. Pastor would pit on lap fourteen back out on the medium tyres. Rosberg would pit the next lap taking on the hard tyre. Schumacher would pit on lap sixteen also taking the hard tyre coming back out in fifteenth. Perez would pass Raikkonen for sixth and on lap eighteen Raikkonen would pit taking the hard tyre.

Button would pass Massa for second going into the second chicane seeing Massa pit taking on the hard tyre. Button was told to push as on lap twenty one Vettel and Alonso would both pit. Vettel and Alonso would run side by side going down the pit lane but Vettel would come out first. Lap twenty two and Webber and Di Resta both pitted with Webber coming in from third and Di Resta seventh. Lap twenty three and Button would pit from second seeing Perez take this spot with Bruno third. Massa would pass Bruno followed shortly after by Vettel. Alonso would also get past Bruno with Bruno yet to pit. Hamilton would pit from lap twenty four taking on the hard tyre with Bruno having dropped to seventh. Pastor was still in seventeenth while Bruno was now under attack by Ricciardo. But both Bruno and Ricciardo would pit on lap twenty five as Alonso went fastest with a 1m:29.378. Perez was now leading from Hamilton, Button, Massa, Vettel, Schumacher, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, and Rosberg.

Alonso was attacking Vettel and would take to the grass as he tried to run past Vettel. Alonso felt that he was run wide and was not happy about it. Bruno had dropped to seventeenth and was running behind Ricciardo. Lap twenty eight and Hulkenberg would pit from tenth. The Sauber team still had yet to pit Perez and were looking to bring him back out in front of someone down the order. Hamilton would pass Perez while Alonso would pass Vettel at the second chicane. Perez would pit on lap thirty taking on the medium tyre as the stewards were investigating the incident between Vettel and Alonso. Pastor was now up to thirteenth and Bruno fifteenth as Perez rejoined in eighth. Bruno had lost out during the pit stops with Pastor and Bruno on different strategies. At the front Hamilton was leading Button by 7.2 seconds with Massa third from Alonso, Vettel, Schumacher, Raikkonen, Perez, Rosberg, and Webber tenth. It was announced that Vettel had forced Alonso off the track seeing him receive a drive through penalty.

For Button his race would end as he was forced to pull off the side of the track seeing Massa now second and Alonso third. Button had reported that he had no drive while on lap thirty five Vettel would take his drive through penalty. Vettel would come out behind Webber in ninth. Schumacher was fourth followed by Raikkonen, Perez, Rosberg, and Webber eighth. Perez would try to pass Raikkonen but the Lotus driver was able to respond and retake Perez. Pastor would pit taking on a second set of medium tyres. Perez would finally pass Raikkonen for fifth as on lap thirty eight Schumacher would pit again while Rosberg would pass Raikkonen for fifth. Rosberg would also pit on lap thirty nine while Perez was flying in fourth. Alonso was right behind Massa looking most likely to pass shortly. Alonso would pass Massa at the first chicane with Massa now third.

Bruno was now twelfth and Pastor fifteenth with thirteen laps remaining. Perez had closed the gap to Massa to just 4.2 seconds and the next lap it was 2.5 seconds. Webber was told that Vettel had a car problem that may see him stop suddenly. Vettel was in sixth and Webber seventh. On the run down the back straight Perez would pass Massa for third and then have his sights set on Alonso. Bruno was still in thirteenth 2.2 seconds behind Ricciardo while Schumacher and Rosberg were in tenth and eleventh. Lap forty four and Perez was only 1.2 seconds behind Alonso. Perez would close in onto Alonso and would pass the Ferrari going into the Ascari chicane. Hamilton was told that it was now Perez behind him and that he should up his pace. Rosberg would pass Kobayashi for tenth while at the front Hamilton was 10.5 seconds ahead of Perez.

Vettel's car problem would happen and he would stop on the side of the track near the first chicane after been told to stop the car to save the engine, seeing Webber up to sixth. Schumacher was in seventh and would pass Webber for sixth going into the second chicane. Lap forty eight nine and Perez was 8.4 seconds behind Hamilton. Alonso was third with Massa fourth from Raikkonen, Schumacher, Webber, Di Resta, Rosberg, and Kobayashi in tenth. Rosberg would pass Di Resta as Webber told to the grass at the Ascari chicane. He had spun after taking too much kerb. Bruno was now twelfth and Bruno thirteenth while Webber would recover to be tenth. Hulkenberg would retire in his pit. Webber would slow on the track returning to his pit to retire complaining of massive flat spots on his tyres. At the front Hamilton had Perez covered as Hamilton started his final lap. As a result of Webber's issue Bruno was
now eleventh and Pastor twelfth.

Hamilton would complete his lap to take victory in the 2012 Italian Grand Prix. Perez was a fantastic second from Alonso, Massa, Raikkonen, Schumacher, Rosberg, Fi Resta, Kobayashi, and on the final lap Bruno was able to take tenth for a single point. Pastor would finish in eleventh also getting past Ricciardo in the final sector on the last lap. A solid if not spectacular drive from both Williams drivers with Bruno at least securing a single point for his efforts.