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Team Summary:
With neither Williams Racing drivers having set a time in the wet final
practice session qualifying was going to be somewhat a journey into the
unknown. The rain had eased but the track was still wet so it was going to
come down to a choice between the full wet and the intermediate tyre. With
the start of the opening eighteen minute Q1 the cars would quickly come out
with a mix of wet and intermediate tyres been used. Verstappen would have a
massive spin in the very difficult conditions. Both Ferrari's were on the
intermediate tyre joined by both McLaren's. A 2m:07.614 from Perez on the
intermediate tyre but on the full wet Ocon would go faster only to see
Bottas move ahead with a 2m:07.001. Ocon was now second with this pair both
on the full wet as the rain started to fall heavier.
Bottas would improve with 2m:04.067 as Hamilton went fourth. All those on
the intermediate would pit including Leclerc. Ocon was now fastest with a
2m:06.115 followed by Bottas, Stroll and Hamilton. Perez was fifth followed
by Norris, Magnussen, Albon, Kvyat, and Raikkonen tenth. The session would
be red flagged as the rain became even heavier. After a delay the period
would restart with a queue of cars at the pit exit, all weere on the full
wet tyre. Albon would be out first with the first of the Williams joining
the queue of cars going out. The whole field would be out all on the full
wet tyre. Several drivers would spin including Grosjean who was struck in
the gravel seeing the period again red flagged. The period would restart for
the second time with both Williams drivers out very early. Verstappen was on
a quick lap setting a 1m:57.485 with Albon now second. The Williams drivers
one would spin into the gravel and fail to improve while the other would be
only 18th, so both were out of qualifying.
The second period of qualifying would commence and after the first laps it
would be Verstappen again fastest but Albon would move ahead with a
1m:56.721 but Stroll would go quicker with a 1m:55.730. Bottas was now third
followed by Verstappen but Raikkonen would move into second. But Verstappen
would improve with a 1m:53.486 now followed by Perez, Bottas, Hamilton and
Stroll now fifth. The times would continue to come down as Verstappen set
1m:52.036 now followed by Bottas and Hamilton and Albon fourth. With the end
of the period it would remain Verstappen fastest from now Albon, Hamilton,
Stroll, Giovinazzi, Ocon, Bottas, Raikkonen, Perez, and Ricciardo in tenth.
But at the time of the finish of the session there was the possibility that
the order would change as a result of after session penalties that may be
imposed as a result of things such as not slowing under yellow flags.
The final period of qualifying would see Stroll take pole with a 1m:47.765
from Verstappen, Perez, Albon, Ricciardo, Hamilton, Ocon, Raikkonen, Bottas
and in tenth Giovinazzi. Such a difficult qualifying for both Williams
drivers on a tricky track in a period that would see both drivers suffer
from red flags and unfortunately mistakes that saw one driver Nicholas end
in the gravel. The pair would start Sunday's race from the final row of the
grid. Such a disappointment after the positive results that were seen at
Imola. |
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George Russell:
George was also out early also on the full wet tyre. George would set a
2m:13.893 on his first lap to be slowest. He would improve with a 2m:13.117
to remain slowest. George would pit after a four lap run. As the session
restarted George was also back out on the full wet tyre. But with the second
red flag he would pit and after a short delay would return again on the full
wet. George would set a 2m:10.017 to be 18th and out of qualifying. But
George will be starting the race from the back due to engine penalties.
Nicholas Latifi:
Nicholas was first out for Williams running on the full wet tyre. Nicholas
would pit without setting a time having completed two laps. He would return
again on the full wet. On his first run Nicholas had spun at Turn eight but
was able to recover and he would continue. A very slow 2m:21.611 from
Nicholas would see him slowest behind his team-mate. With the restart
Nicholas would return still on the full wet tyre. Nicholas would also be
forced to put with second red flag. Nicholas would restart after a short
delay again on the full wet tyre. But he would spin and end up in the gravel
and out of the period. He would finish slowest in 20th. |
