Belgian GP: Williams Martini sees no improvement in FP3

Team Summary:
With the start of the Saturday practice the track was damp in places seeing many drivers come out on intermediate tyres but the track was drying quickly. Both Red Bull cars were out on the super soft tyre. The track would empty with quite a few drivers yet to come out, including Hamilton. The first driver back out would be Kvyat running on the super soft tyre. More drivers would start to come out as Kvyat set a 1m:48.498. Fifteen minutes into the session and both Williams cars were out for their first runs. Sainz would go quickest but Bottas would move ahead with a 1m:46.493 on super soft tyres. Hamilton would go quicker with a 1m:45.480 also on the super soft tyre.

Both Williams drivers would complete their first timed laps to be fifth and sixth, but both drivers were over three seconds off the quickest times. Raikkonen was now second with a 1m:45.583, with only nine drivers having set a time. Ricciardo was now third behind Raikkonen. But Vettel would move into third also on the super soft tyre. Both William drivers would continue to drop down the times as Raikkonen went quickest with a 1m:45.422. Vettel was able to improve moving up to second with a 1m:45.458. Palmer was now in seventh followed by Alonso and Hulkenberg. Twenty five minutes remaining and the Williams drivers were fifteenth and seventeenth. Drivers would start the ultra soft tyre runs with Ricciardo going quickest with a 1m:45.286 but Verstappen would move ahead with a 1m:45.034.

Quickly Raikkonen would go fastest with a 1m:43.916 with Hamilton now second. Both Williams were now in their pits getting ready for their qualifying simulations. Fifteen minutes remaining and Vettel was now second and Hamilton third. Verstappen was fourth followed by Bottas, Ricciardo, Palmer, Alonso, Hulkenberg and Sainz in tenth. On their qualifying runs Palmer would go seventh behind Ricciardo. After their qualifying simulations the Williams drivers were in fifteenth and sixteenth with both drivers continuing to struggle. The session would end with Raikkonen still fastest from Vettel and Hamilton. Verstappen was fourth followed by Bottas, Ricciardo, Palmer, Perez, Sainz, and Alonso tenth. Another difficult session with both Williams drivers well down the times.

Felipe Massa:
After not been able to run at all on Friday as a result of his crash Felipe was back in his repaired car and would take to the track running on the intermediate tyre. Felipe would pit after a single lap. It was terribly important for Felipe to get out and get track time. Felipe would return with ten minutes completed in the session running on the ultra soft tyre. Felipe would set a 1m:48.929 to be fourth dropping to sixth. With twenty five minutes of the session complete Felipe was now tenth as he continued a long run on the ultra soft tyre. Felipe would continue to drop down the times now fifteenth with half the session completed. During his run Felipe had been able to set a 1m:48.032 which was an improvement but still saw him down the order. Felipe was under investigation for not slowing under double yellow flags. Felipe would also pit after a fourteen lap run. Felipe would join Lance out for his qualifying simulation. He was currently seventeenth and his run would only see him move up to fourteenth with a 1m:46.667. He would drop to sixteenth behind his team-mate.

Lance Stroll:
After a Friday that saw Lance at the back of the field hopefully Saturday will see an improvement. Lance would take to the track running on the intermediate tyre for his installation lap. Lance would also pit after just one lap. Lance would join Felipe out on the track but he was on the super soft tyre. Lance would set a 1m:48.959 to finish behind Felipe in sixth dropping to seventh. Lance would drop to eleventh still behind Felipe. Lance would come onto the radio saying that he had a big flat spot on his left front. Lance was now seventeenth behind Magnussen. He would pit after a nine lap run but was quickly back out but would return after a single lap. Lance would be the first Williams to return for his ultra soft tyre run and it somewhat a change of would move up to seventh with a 1m:46.620. He would drop to eighth behind Grosjean. This would become fifteenth as other drivers set their qualifying times.