British GP : Maldonado an excellent 7th in qualifying

After seeing Pastor Maldonado finish the final practice at Silverstone in fifth the AT&T Williams F1 team would be encouraged by this performance as they prepared for qualifying for the 2011 British Grand Prix. Team-mate Rubens Barrichello was somewhat off the pace down in fourteenth after the final practice. The qualifying session would be run with the issue of the blown diffuser looming large as the teams continued to argue over what they can or can not do with their throttles. Decisions had been made that would see various teams literally making changes to the software of their engines as well as the cars themselves just prior to start of the session.

The first twenty minute period would commence with a rush of drivers coming out including both Williams cars. It was reported that there was the possibility of rain during the period, explaining why the drivers were looking to set an early time. All twenty four cars were out on the track with Di Resta leading the pack. He would set a 1m:36.372 but was passed by several drivers. Hamilton was fastest with a 1m:35.375. But Alonso, Massa, Rubens, and Pastor would all move ahead. Alonso's quickest time was 1m:33.741. There was now rain on the circuit at Copse corner. Webber was now third with Rubens and Pastor fourth and fifth. Vettel was sixth. Rubens time was a 1m:34.705 and Pastor a 1m:34.732. Vettel was now fastest with a 1m:33.555 while Di Resta was seventh.

Alonso would go off at Luffield corner taking to the gravel, but he was able to continue. Rubens would go fastest with a 1m:33.532. Webber was now quickest with a 1m:33.044 while for Williams Pastor had dropped to twelfth, 1m:34.732. Massa was now fastest with a 1m:32.924 while Rubens would pit. Now it was Pastor's turn to be fastest with a 1m:32.702. Vettel was third and Webber fourth while Alonso was now sixth. Schumacher and Rosberg were eighth and ninth with just under ten minutes remaining. Hamilton would move up to sixth, 1m:33.581, running on the harder tyre. Pastor would also pit as Webber moved back up to the top of the times with a 1m:32.670. Alonso was now fifth, 1m:33.066, seeing Rubens drop to sixth. Pastor was now second as we now only had a handful of
cars out on the track.

The rain would start to come down quite heavily meaning that the slowest seven would remain the same. For McLaren Hamilton and Button were in seventh and eleventh. As the final minutes counted down Webber was fastest from Pastor, Massa, Vettel, Alonso, Rubens, Hamilton, Perez, Schumacher, and Rosberg in tenth. Those not making the cut would be Alguersuari, Buemi, Glock, Trulli, D'Ambrosio, Liuzzi, and on his debut Ricciardo. IT had paid off for both Williams drivers getting out early and setting competitive times.

With both Williams cars making it into the second period, with Rubens leading Pastor, the rain had stopped so the track should dry during the period. But the teams would not doubt keep an eye on the weather. With the start of the period it would be Rosberg coming out on a set of intermediates. Other drivers were out on the soft dry tyres as both Red Bull cars came out. Both Williams cars were also out on the track running on the dry tyre. It was a difficult decision as to the best tyre with parts of the track dry and others wet. Alonso was also out on the intermediates as Rosberg pitted while Rubens would set a 1m:39.208 to be fastest. Heidfeld was now second while Pastor would go fastest with a 1m:37.703.

Rubens was now second and Perez now third. But Kobayashi would move into second, 1m:38.488, while Webber was now fifth. Rubens would improve with a 1m:36.408 to be quickest as Pastor pitted. Heidfeld was now fourth followed by Sutil and Perez. But the times would continue to fall as Perez went fastest with a 1m:36.221. He would be passed by Webber and Kobayashi , with Webber fastest. But Sutil would move ahead of Webber with a 1m:34.872. Webber was now second from Kobayashi, Perez, Rubens, Petrov, Pastor, Heidfeld, Vettel, and Button in tenth. Sutil would improve with a 1m:33.672 , with just four cars out on the track. There was six minutes remaining as Alonso started a quick lap. Pastor was back out as Alonso moved up to seventh, 1m:37.612. More drivers were coming back out all on the softer tyre. Rubens would also return to the track.

Alonso was fastest in the first two sectors finishing his lap to go fastest with a 1m:31.727. Now Hamilton was second, 1m:32.505, while Rubens and Pastor were eighth and tenth. Kovalainen was up to fourth, 1m:34.940, but this would become fifth as Schumacher moved into fourth. All seventeenth cars were out on the track as Pastor jumped up to fourth, 1m:32.558. But Massa was now fastest with a 1m:31.640, from Webber, 1m:31.673, Alonso, Vettel, Hamilton, Di Resta, Pastor, Perez, Petrov, and Schumacher now tenth. Rubens had dropped to fourteenth while Rosberg moved up to fourth, 1m:32.295. As the final seconds counted down Rubens would pit while Pastor was in ninth. Button was up to fourth, 1m:32.273, as the period came to an end. Pastor would squeeze in with a tenth fastest time, 1m:32.588.

Those not making the cut were Sutil, Perez, Schumacher, Petrov, Rubens, Heidfeld, and Kovalainen. The top ten was Massa from Webber, Alonso, Button, Rosberg, Vettel, Kobayashi, Hamilton, Di Resta, and Pastor. After looking so promising it was disappointing not to see Rubens make it into the top ten. A great effort from Pastor to be tenth but it was now down to whether the Williams team would use up extra tyres to try and move up from tenth.

With the start of the final period Vettel, Webber and Rosberg would come out straight out onto the track with soft compound tyres. Pastor would come out a short while later looking to do just one run as the drivers started their timed laps. Vettel would set a 1m:30.431 but Webber would go fastest with a 1m:30.399. Alonso was now third and Massa fourth. Button was now fifth from Di Resta, Pastor, Rosberg, Hamilton, and Kobayashi. Both Red Bull's would pit, joined by both Ferrari's and McLaren's.

Kobayashi was now eight, 1m:32.399. Pastor's time was a 1m:31.933. With three minutes remaining drivers would start to return to the track as we had a few spots of rain falling. Pastor and DI Resta had pitted, joined by Kobayashi. Button would back off ending any chance of moving from fifth. Rosberg was on a quick lap but he would abort his lap returning to the pits. As the period came to an end there would be no change at the front with Webber fastest from Vettel, Alonso, Massa, Button, Di Resta, Pastor, Kobayashi, Rosberg, and Hamilton in tenth. This was a great effort from Pastor to line up seventh on the grid. But for Rubens to be fifteenth on the grid must have a been a huge disappointment for the Brazilian. Pastor seems to be getting on with it as the season progresses.