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Both Williams Martini drivers
finishing outside the top ten in the opening Friday practice for the 2014
Italian Grand Prix. The second session would show if the Williams cars have
the pace to be at the front of the times. Kobayashi was back in for Caterham
joined by Grosjean and Sutil for Lotus and Sauber. Grosjean would be first
out with Ricciardo also coming out. His car had been repaired after his
earlier technical issue with his engine. Everyone was out on the hard
Pirelli tyre as Grosjean set a 1m:32.995 looking to get on with things as make up for the
time lost earlier when Pic drove his car. More drivers would set times with
Ricciardo setting a 1m:29.376 to be fastest but Kvyat would move ahead with
a 1m:28.552. Bianchi was now second followed by Ricciardo and Hulkenberg.
But Ricciardo moved up to second with a time of 1m:28.578.
More drivers were coming out including Magnussen, Rosberg, Maldonado, Sutil,
Vergne, and Ericsson. Perez was now fastest with a 1m:28.270 from Kvyat and
Ricciardo. Magnussen was on a quick lap going fastest in sector one and two.
He would finish with a 1m:27.634 to be quickest. Hulkenberg was now second
from team-mate Perez and Kvyat. Raikkonen would be first out for Ferrari as
Ricciardo moved into fourth with a 1m:28.274. Vergne was in sixth but this
would become seventh as Rosberg went fastest with a 1m:27.500. Hamilton was
still in his pit with his mechanics working on his car. Button and Alonso
had left their pits as Magnussen set a 1m:27.634 currently in second. But
Perez would move ahead of the McLaren with a time of 1m:27.585. Button's
first time would see him in eleventh with a time of 1m:29.638 while we had
yet to see either Williams car come out. Hulkenberg and Ricciardo had both pitted while in Hamilton's pit the floor
had come off his car indicating a major problem.
Raikkonen was now third and Button fourth. But Alonso was now in third with
a 1m:27.101 followed by Raikkonen and Button. Both Williams cars were now
out on the track as Vergne moved up to tenth, 1m:28.318. Hamilton's problem
was that his engine would not start as Felipe Massa would set a 1m:27.521 to
be sixth behind Button. Valtteri would move ahead of Button with a 1m:27.445
as Button moved up to second. This would see the Williams pair now sixth and
seventh. At the front it was now Alonso quickest with a 1m:26.790 from Button with a 1m:26.975.
Rosberg was on a quick lap joined by both Valtteri and Felipe. Valtteri had
gone fastest in sector one as Rosberg completed his lap to go quickest with
a time of 1m:26.786. Felipe would lower his time with a 1m:27.381 but
remained seventh. Vettel was now in fifth with a 1m:27.150 with Valtteri
improving with a 1m:27.159 but remained sixth. Both Williams drivers would
pit after a short run for both.
With thirty minutes of the session completed it was Rosberg fastest from
Alonso, Button, Magnussen, Vettel, Valtteri, Felipe, Raikkonen, Perez and
Hulkenberg tenth. Hamilton had yet to set a time as the track became fairly
empty after the drivers first runs. Magnussen would be the first out on the
option medium tyre as Ricciardo moved up to eleventh followed by tenth with
a 1m:27.732. Magnussen would set a 1m:27.014 to be fourth as Rosberg came
back out also running on the medium tyre. Valtteri would also come back out
running on the medium tyre as Magnussen went fastest in sector two. He would set a 1m:26.881 to move up to third. Perez
was now seventh also on the option tyre. Felipe was now back out joining his
team-mate while Valtteri would set a 1m:26.758 to go second fastest. Rosberg
would also gain time on the softer tyre setting a 1m:26.225 remaining
fastest.
Felipe was down in eighth with everyone now on the medium tyre. Vettel was
now fourth, 1m:26.844 but Alonso would move ahead with a 1m:26.790. Button
was now third with a time of 1m:26.762. Felipe had improved his time with a
1m:26.935 but was down in seventh. Alonso was on an improved lap moving up
to second with a time of 1m:26.565. Valtteri was now third and would pit
after his medium tyre run of four laps. There were forty five minutes
remaining in the session as Grosjean went off the track at the Lesmo corner. He would run across the gravel but
was able to continue to return to his pit. Raikkonen was currently eighth
and would go fastest in sector one as Felipe pitted with forty minutes
remaining. Hulkenberg would move up to tenth with a 1m:27.227. On his next
lap Raikkonen would improve to be second with a 1m:26.331.
Alonso would pit briefly but both Raikkonen and Alonso would come back in.
In Hamilton's pit his floor was back on as Valtteri came back out again on
the medium tyre with Felipe also coming back out shortly after. Hamilton was
in his car with just over thirty minutes remaining. Team-mate Rosberg was
out completing a longer run on the medium tyre. Hamilton would leave the pit
lane for his first run as Felipe remained in his pit. But he would return
running on the hard tyre as the Williams team split their tyre testing
between the two drivers. The track was now quite busy as Hamilton set a
1m:27.352 to be twelfth. Hamilton was now running on the medium tyre with
only Kobayashi in his pit with just over twenty minutes remaining. On their
longer runs Felipe and Valtteri times were in the 1m:29s as Hamilton set a
1m:26.286 to move up to second. This would see Valtteri drop to fifth and
Felipe ninth.
Both Williams drivers had completed over ten laps on their current runs.
Hamilton would pit as Valtteri continued to set times in the 1m:29s whilst
Felipe was in the 1m:30s. But Valtteri had been able to set a lap in the
1m:28s which is very quick for a longer run. There were several other cars
on the hard tyre including Alonso, Button, Magnussen, and Perez. Alonso
would pit with eight minutes remaining. Hamilton was back out after the team
made changes to his car as the final minutes of the session started.
Everyone was out on the track as the final minutes started. Button would pit after a big lock up at the first chicane. The session would come
to an end with Rosberg still leading from Hamilton. Behind Hamilton was
Raikkonen, Alonso, Valtteri, Button, Vettel, Magnussen, Felipe and Ricciardo
tenth.
For Williams both drivers had improved to be in the top ten with their long
run pace looking very good. A far better session for the Williams Martini
team with their race pace looking good. Saturday will see if the Williams
drivers can get closer to the front in particular Felipe who is slightly off
the pace off his team-mate Valtteri. |
