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Team Summary:
For the Russian Grand Prix weekend Pirelli had supplied the soft, ultrasoft
and hypersoft tyres. The opening Friday session would see several Friday
drivers taking part with Latifi replacing Perez, Giovinazzi replacing
Ericsson, Markelov relacing Sainz and Norris in for Alonso. The session
would commence with drivers co0ming out using all three types of tyres.
Vandoorne on the soft tyre would set the first time with a 1m:40.121. He
would improve with a 1m:39.057 being the only driver on the track. The only
team not to have sent their drivers out was Mercedes.
With just under an hour and fifteen minutes remaining more drivers would
start to come out including both Sauber's, Raikkonen, and both Mercedes.
Leclerc would set a 1m:39.887 to be second but Raikkonen would go quickest
with a 1m:37.063 with Bottas now second followed by Vandoorne, Norris,
Leclerc and Giovinazzi. But Hulkenberg moved up to third but again the order
would change quickly with Ricciardo going quickest with a 1m:36.600 using
the hypersoft tyre. Verstappen was now second followed by Raikkonen, and
Hamilton. But Bottas would move into second using the ultrasoft tyre.
Magnussen was now sixth dropping to seventh as Hamilton moved into third.
Gasly on the ultrasoft tyre would move into seventh.
On his first lap Vettel would go third while Hamilton would set a 1m:35.326
to be quickest still on the ultrasoft tyre. Of the top ten only the Mercedes
and Gasly were now on the hypersoft tyre. Vettel had dropped to fifth while
for Williams their drivers after having set improved times would be still be
down the order in 17th and 18th. Verstappen still on the hypersoft tyre
would go quickest with a 1m:34.960 followed by Hamilton, Ricciardo, Bottas,
Vettel and Raikkonen. The track would empty as drivers came back in to
return their set of Pirelli tyres. With forty five minutes remaining drivers
would start to return with Bottas and Hamilton on the soft tyre. Norris on
the hypersoft tyre would move up to ninth dropping to tenth.
With just over thirty minutes remaining the order was Verstappen, Hamilton,
Bottas, Ricciardo, Vettel, Ocon, Magnussen, Hulkenberg, Grosjean and Gasly
tenth. Bottas would improve to be second as Vettel would go quickest with a
1m:34.488 using the hypersoft tyre. Ocon ad improved his time but remained
sixth. After their first hypersoft tyre runs the Williams drivers were 15th
and 18th. Hamilton would move into second but Verstappen would take this
spot using the hypersoft tyre. Leclerc would move up to 13th seeing the
Williams drivers now 17th and 19th. Giovinazzi was now tenth using the
hypersoft tyre. With the end of the session the Williams drivers would be
18th and 20th. The top ten would be Vettel followed by Verstappen, Hamilton,
Bottas, Ricciardo, Ocon, Raikkonen, Magnussen, Hulkenberg and Giovinazzi.
This session was a repeat of previous ones when the Williams team struggled
to set competitive times in the difficult FW41.
Lance Stroll:
Lance would follow his team-mate out but was using the ultrasoft tyre. Lance
would also only complete a single installation lap. Lance would quickly
return still on the ultrasoft tyre. But he would pit without setting a time.
He would again return again pitting after a single lap. The team would
report that Lance was conducting some front wing testing. With just over and
hour remaining Lance would come out using new ultrasoft tyre. He would set a
1m:40.461 to be slowest. He would improve with a 1m:39.137 to be 17th one
place behind his team-mate. Lance had also pitted completing a seven lap
run. Lance was still in his pit while his team-mate did a hypersoft tyre
run. With under thirty minutes remaining Lance would return running on the
hypersoft tyre. Lance would have a spin at Turn 7 ruining his tyres that
would see him pit without improving currently 19th. He would drop to 20th
and slowest. The team would announce that Lance would not be returning.
Sergey
Sirotkin:
Sergey would be first out for Williams running on the soft tyre. Sergey
would pit after a single installation lap. Sergey would return this time on
the ultrasoft tyre for his first timed run. Sergey would set a 1m:39.834 to
be 15th. A 1m:39.711 would see Sergey now 16th. Sergey would continue to lap
and would set a 1m:39.109 to be 15th, dropping to 17th. He would pit after a
nine lap run. With forty minutes remaining Sergey would return this time on
the hypersoft tyre and would set a 1m:37.687 to be 13th. He would drop to
15th. A 1m:37.225 would see Sergey moving up to 14th. He would pit currently
15th. Sergey had been asking about his front left brake pulling and what can
be done about it. He was not happy under braking. In the pits he would drop
to 17th. With just over fifteen minutes remaining Sergey would return on the
used hypersoft tyres. Sergey would continue to lap and would complete
fourteen laps on the hypersoft tyre. |
