Singapore GP: Challenging qualifying for Williams Martini

Team Summary:
Q1: Both Williams cars were out early in the first eighteen minute period. Both Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa were on the soft tyre for their first run. A 1m:48.094 from Valtteri followed by a 1m:48.300 from Felipe. Valtteri was quickest with Felipe dropping to third. Raikkonen would go fastest with a 1m:47.077 but Ricciardo would go quicker with a 1m:46.805. Valtteri was now 1.2 seconds of the quickest time. Kvyat was now second with Valtteri dropping to fifth. Vettel would go quickest with a 1m:46.017 seeing Valtteri now sixth and Felipe moving up to seventh. With eight minutes remaining Valtteri and Felipe were now seventh and ninth. Button was in fifth running on the option super soft tyre. Both Williams drivers would pit with seven minutes left in the session as more drivers took to the option tyre.

Both Valtteri and Felipe would change to the option tyre. Only the top three had yet to change to the super soft tyre. Hulkenberg was now second but Verstappen would take this spot. Hamilton would go quickest with a 1m:45.765 only to be beaten by Kvyat with a 1m:45.340. With two minutes remaining Valtteri and Felipe were down the times but Valtteri was able to set a 1m:46.231 to be fifth. Felipe could not match the pace of his team-mate being down in fourteenth with the end of the period. Both Williams drivers would make it past the opening period.

Q2: The second fifteen minute period would get underway with Valtteri out first followed by Felipe with both on new option tyres. After their first runs Felipe and Valtteri were currently first and second. But very quickly they would drop down to fifth and seventh. Kvyat was now quickest with a 1m:44.979, followed by Ricciardo and Hamilton. Vettel would go quickest with a 1m:44.743 from Kvyat and Raikkonen. Felipe and Valtteri were seventh and tenth after these first runs. Both drivers would come back out for another run with three minutes left in the period. Only the top four remained in their pits. After their second runs Felipe and Valtteri were eighth and tenth, making it into the final period. This was a turn around fro Williams to get both drivers into the top ten.

Q3:Both Williams drivers were out on used super soft tyres for their first runs in the final period. All the Mercedes powered cars were on used option tyres. A 1m:44.607 from Ricciardo with Kvyat second and Valtteri third, 1m:46.755. Raikkonen was now second as Vettel went quickest with a 1m:44.305. Ricciardo was now second followed by Raikkonen. Valtteri was now sixth and Felipe seventh. Hamilton had pitted without setting a time. Verstappen had yet to come out. After their stops all ten cars were now out on the track all on new option tyres. Valtteri and Felipe would finish in seventh and ninth. Vettel would go quickest with a 1m:43.885 followed by Ricciardo and Raikkonen. To get both Williams cars into the top ten was a great effort but given the pace of the cars in front of them Sundays race was going to
be a difficult time.

Felipe Massa:
Q1: Felipe would set a 1m:48.300 on his first lap on the soft tyre. As other drivers set times Felipe would drop to eighth. Felipe would improve with a 1m:48.112 to be seventh. Felipe would drop to ninth. Five minutes remaining and Felipe was still in his pit but he would join his team-mate coming out on the option tyre. Down in seventeenth Felipe would set the quickest first sector time and a personal best in the second. He would finish with a 1m:46.879 to only be fourteenth.

Q2: Felipe would follow Valtteri out also on new option tyres. His first lap was a 1m:45.701 to move ahead of Valtteri. Felipe would also pit currently sixth. He would just behind Rosberg and would come back out for a second run with three minutes remaining. He was also on a new set of the super soft tyres. Felipe would pit having failed to improve dropping to eighth.

Q3: Felipe would also come out on a used set of option tyres for the first run in the final period. Felipe would set a 1m:47.009 seeing him down in seventh. Felipe would follow Valtteri out also on new tyres. With the chequered flag Felipe would be ninth with a 1m:46.077.

Valtteri Bottas:
Q1: Valtteri would come out first and his opening lap would see him quickest with a 1m:48.094. Valtteri was now down in sixth. Valtteri would also find time with a 1m:47.692 currently seventh. Valtteri would return to the track running on the option tyre. His lap time would be a 1m:46.231 to be fifth. Valtteri would pit currently sixth. He would pit while currently eighth. He would drop to ninth behind behind Verstappen.

Q2: Valtteri would come out first for the first run again using the option tyre. Valtteri would set a 1m:46.247 to be quickest. But as in the opening period Valtteri would drop down the order to be tenth while he sat waiting in his pit. With three and a half minutes remaining Valtteri would return to the track running on new option tyres. He was on a quicker lap as the period ended. Valtteri would finish with a 1m:45.887 but remained tenth.

Q3: Valtteri would be first out for Williams for the final period. Valtteri was on a used set of option tyres for his first run. A 1m:46.755 would see Valtteri down in sixth prior to pitting. Valtteri would come back out nearly making contact with one of the Red Bulls. This time he was on a new set of option tyres. A 1m:45.676 would see Valtteri fifth. He would drop to seventh.