Japanese GP: Another disappointing result for Williams F1

Having seen their cars finish qualifying for the fifty three lap Japanese Grand Prix in thirteenth and fifteenth the Williams F1 team was hopeful of securing further points in their 2013 season. Pirelli had brought their medium and hard tyres for this race while in the race there was only a single DRS zone. On pole was Webber followed by Vettel, Hamilton, Grosjean, Massa, Rosberg, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Raikkonen, and Button in tenth. Valtteri Bottas would start from thirteenth and Pastor Maldonado fifteenth. On the grid the only drivers starting on the hard tyres were Ricciardo and Pic. The grid would move off on their formation lap with Webber in front. He would bring the field back around and would stop on his pole position. The grid would form and the lights would go off and it would be Grosjean who would make a great start to lead Webber into Turn one.

Van der Gar would go off at Turn one joined by Bianchi. The Caterham would hit the tyre barrier while the Marussia was stuck in the gravel. Vettel would ask his team to check his front wing and was told it was OK. For Williams Valtteri was in thirteenth and Pastor fifteenth. Hamilton would be forced to pit with a right rear puncture. He would make it back to his pit with little rubber on the tyre. He would take on hard tyres coming back out three quarters of a lap behind. Hamilton's right rear had made contact with Vettel's front wing at the start. Rosberg was in fourth followed by Massa, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Perez, Gutierrez and Button tenth. Raikkonen had dropped to eleventh while after lap six Grosjean was now 1.1 seconds ahead of Webber.

Raikkonen would pass Button for tenth at Turn one while Ricciardo would pass Valtteri for thirteenth. Both drivers had gained through the use of DRS. The Williams pair were now fourteenth and fifteenth. Vergne would pit from seventeenth on lap eight with Hamilton also coming in. Lap nine and we would have Button, Valtteri, and Sutil all pit. Hamilton would retire in his garage with too much damage as a result of the tyre failure. Gutierrez would pit on lap ten joined by Pastor. Valtteri had swapped to the hard tyre at his top with Pastor also taking on these tyres. Hulkenberg and Di Resta would pit on lap eleven with Grosjean now 2.5 seconds ahead of Webber. Vettel was 1.6 seconds behind his team-mate as on lap twelve Webber would pit.
Massa and Raikkonen would also come in all taking on the hard tyre.

The next lap would see Grosjean stop seeing Vettel take the lead. He would also take on the hard tyre coming back out in front of Webber. Rosberg and Perez had also come in with Rosberg being released into the way of Perez. This would see the matter come under investigation by the race stewards. Alonso would pit from second on lap fourteen while on the track Perez would pass Button for eleventh at Turn one. After their stops Valtteri and Pastor were still in thirteenth and fifteenth. Vettel would pit on lap fifteen coming back out behind Webber but in front of Ricciardo who was on the hard tyre and yet to pit. A drive through penalty was given to Rosberg for his unsafe release. Lap fifteen and Grosjean was leading by 1.8 seconds over Webber. Vettel was third from Ricciardo, Rosberg, Hulkenberg, Massa, Alonso, Gutierrez, and Raikkonen in tenth.

Rosberg would take his penalty on lap seventeen coming back out in twelfth. Ricciardo had Hulkenberg and Massa right behind him while Sutil was attacking Pastor for fifteenth. Alonso would pass Massa for sixth going into Turn one on lap twenty. Hulkenberg would pass Ricciardo going into Turn 130R. Alonso would pass the Torro Ross going into Turn one. Gutierrez would try to pass Massa at the Spoon curve but his move would see him lose pace and would be passed by Raikkonen. Ricciardo would pit on lap twenty two while at the front Grosjean was leading by 2.2 seconds with Vettel third. Hulkenberg was now fourth followed by Alonso, Massa, Raikkonen, Gutierrez, Perez, and Rosberg now tenth. Valtteri was now twelfth and Pastor fourteenth as on lap twenty three Button would pit taking on hard tyres but it would be a slow stop with a problem with the right rear tyre.

Rosberg would pit on lap twenty five as on the following lap Webber would pit taking on hard tyres. Valtteri was now tenth and Pastor twelfth as on lap twenty seven Di Resta would pit from twelfth. Valtteri would pit from tenth on lap twenty eight joined by fourteenth placed Sutil. Vettel was now 1.3 seconds behind Grosjean as Massa pitted on lap twenty nine. Pastor would also make his second stop having being passed by Ricciardo. Grosjean would pit on lap thirty seeing Vettel lead. Hulkenberg would also pit from fifth again taking on hard tyres. Alonso would pit on lap thirty one also taking on new hard tyres. Gutierrez and Perez would also come in with Perez like Button would be delayed by changing his right rear tyre. Raikkonen would pit from fifth on lap thirty two while Ricciardo was given a drive through penalty for completing a pass on Sutil off the track at the 130R corner.

Valtteri and Pastor were now down in fifteenth and seventeenth as Ricciardo took his penalty. Massa would receive a drive through penalty for speeding in the pit lane. Ricciardo would come back out in fourteenth while Massa would take his penalty. Lap thirty eight and Vettel would pit from the lead again taking on another set of hard tyres. Valtteri and Pastor were running close together but well down the field as Gutierrez passed Vergne for ninth at Turn one using his DRS. Vergne would pit on lap thirty nine coming in from twelfth. Webber was now leading Grosjean by 14.4 seconds over Grosjean with Vettel third. Rosberg would pit on lap forty taking on hard tyres as Vettel started to attack Grosjean. Vettel would pass Grosjean at Turn one helped by his DRS. Button would pit from seventh on lap forty one Button on medium tyres coming back out in fourteenth. Valtteri and Pastor were now fifteenth and sixteenth. Webber would make his final pit stop on lap forty two taking on the medium tyre.

Webber was now third as on lap forty three Perez would pit from eleventh. Lpa forty four and Webber would set a new fastest lap as he tried to close the gap to Grosjean. Perez's pit stop was due to a tyre puncture as Ricciardo pitted again on lap forty six coming in from twelfth. Alonso would pass Hulkenberg for fourth at Turn one using his DRS. Even using his DRS Webber would not pass Grosjean at Turn one. This was costing Webber dearly as the laps counted down. Webber could not get past the Lotus while at the front Grosjean was now 6.3 seconds behind leader Vettel. While this was happening Valtteri was now thirteenth and Pastor seventeenth. Both drivers had now being lapped by the leaders in what was again turning out to be another difficult race for the Williams team. Webber would finally get past Grosjean at Turn one using his DRS. But he was now too far behind Vettel with not enough laps remaining.

Alonso was in fourth with Raikkonen fifth followed by Hulkenberg, Gutierrez, Rosberg, Massa, and Button tenth. Vettel would complete the final couple of laps to take victory in the 2013 Japanese Grand Prix. This would be his fifth race win in a row while for Sauber Gutierrez would secure his first points in Formula One. In the closing laps Pastor was able to pass Valtteri at the final chicane with Valtteri taking to the grass with the pair finishing in a disappointing sixteenth and seventeenth. Despite finishing behind Pastor Valtteri has certainly shown the better of Pastor over the weekend. But for the team the race was another example of how the FW35 is lacking any real pace when it comes to the race. So frustrating for all at Williams F1.