German GP: Maldonado leads Barrichello in qualifying

For the AT&T Williams F1 team the practice sessions leading up to qualifying for the 2011 German Grand Prix would see both team drivers, Rubens Barrichello and Pastor Maldonado, struggle to find pace from the FW33. It was only in the final practice that saw Pastor finish in tenth. Despite the updates that the team had brought for this race it was still tough for the team to bring the FW33 nearer to the front. It was dry with some blue sky breaking through the clouds but still very cold as the minutes counted down. Rain was not expected for the opening period.

The first twenty minute period would commence with Glock and D'Ambrosio first out followed by both HRT cars. Pastor would also come out early followed by Massa and Heidfeld. Rubens and Webber would also come out joined by Di Resta and Schumacher. Hamilton and Vettel would come out onto what was becoming a busy track. the first time would be set by D'Ambrosio with a 1m:41.351. He would be passed by Glock with a 1m:38.486. Pastor's first lap was a 1m:37.966 to go fastest. But Heidfeld would move ahead with a 1m:36.098. Rubens would move into second, 1m:37.695, but Webber and Di Resta would move ahead. Schumacher was now fastest with a 1m:35.368 with Heidfeld second and Webber third. Hamilton was now fourth followed by Sutil, Di Resta, and Pastor. The times were coming down rapidly with Alguersuari fastest with a 1m:34.187.

But Webber would move to the top with a 1m:34.084. Schumacher was now third as Hamilton and Vettel moved into first and second. Hamilton's time was a 1m:32.934. Alonso was now third from Button, Webber, and Massa in sixth. Rubens had dropped to fourteenth with a time of 1m:36.041 while Pastor was in sixteenth, 1m:36.914. Rosberg would move into ninth with a 1m:34.324. Massa would improve with a 1m:33.805 but remained sixth. Pastor would improve to be fourteenth with a time of 1m:35.286. Rubens would improve with a 1m:35.646 but remained in sixteenth. Alonso would go fastest with a 1m:32.916 with Hamilton now second from Vettel. But Webber would move ahead of his team-mate to be third.

Both Williams drivers had pitted as Vettel moved into third, 1m:33.116. Several drivers were out on the softer tyre as Perez moved into sixth with a 1m:33.743. The top five had all pitted while Pastor was back out on the track. Kobayashi was now eighth as Rubens also came back out. Massa was back out on the softer tyre joining the Sauber's and Petrov who also were on the soft tyre. Petrov would move up to fifth, 1m:33.187. Pastor was also on the soft tyre with Pastor currently in seventeenth. His lap would see him finish in fourth, 1m:33.003, but this would become fifth as Heidfeld went fastest, 1m:32.505. Schumacher also on the soft tyre would move into second. But Massa would go fastest with a 1m:31.826.

Sutil was second, 1m:32.286, while Rubens lap would only see him in fifteenth after having used a set of soft tyres. Pastor had pitted from ninth as Di Resta moved into fifth, 1m:32.651. Pastor was now tenth with Rubens now seventeenth. As the period came to a close Rubens was on another lap but he would abort it after probably been told that eighteenth placed Kobayashi had pitted seeing Rubens make it into Q2. At the front it was Massa from Sutil, Heidfeld, Schumacher, Di Resta, Rosberg, Alonso, Hamilton, Vettel, and Pastor in tenth. Those not making the cut were Kobayashi, Kovalainen, Glock, Chandhok, D'Ambrosio, Liuzzi, and Ricciardo. A positive start for Williams with Pastor in tenth but Rubens would be going to find it difficult to make it past the second period.

With both Williams cars making it into the second period, with Pastor a considerable margin ahead of Rubens but both drivers had been forced to use a set of soft tyres to get into the second period. The second fifteen minute period would commence with Perez and Massa leaving the pit lane. Rubens would come out early joined by Webber and Di Resta. We only had four drivers yet to come out, one being Pastor. Massa was on the used soft tyre as Perez set a 1m:33.845. Massa would go faster with a 1m:31.792. Alonso would go faster with a 1m:31.150. Rubens was third, 1m:33.538, as Webber moved into second with a 1m:31.563.

Hamilton, on the soft tyre, would go fastest with a 1m:30.998. Alonso was now second from Button, and Webber. Vettel would set a 1m:31.017, also on the soft tyre. Massa was now sixth from Rosberg and Schumacher. Rubens who had pitted was down in twelfth. Pastor had yet to come out as Petrov moved into eighth, 1m:32.875. Both Hamilton and Vettel had pitted, joined by Alonso and Button. Heidfeld would move into eighth, 1m:32.225, while Webber would move up to fourth, 1m:31.311. Pastor was still yet to come out with with just over six minutes remaining he would leave the pits. Rubens was still in his pit while we had yet to see times from both Torro Rosso cars and Pastor. Rubens would leave his pit, currently in thirteenth.

The top ten cars were all in their pits with four and a half minutes remaining. Buemi would move into fourteenth with a 1m:33.546. Rosberg was in seventh and would come back out. Pastor was on his lap but was well off the quickest times. He would finish with a 1m:32.635 to be ninth. Rubens was also on an improved lap as we had everyone bar the top six on the track. Rubens would set a 1m:33.043 but remained thirteenth. Di Resta would set a 1m:32.560 to be ninth seeing Pastor drop to tenth. With a minute remaining Sutil was on a better lap. Schumacher would move up to eighth while Sutil would move up to seventh, 1m:31.809.

The improved times would see Pastor drop to thirteenth and Rubens fourteenth. In the dying moments Rosberg would move into fifth, 1m31.343. So nether Williams car would make it past the second period. The top ten would be Hamilton from Vettel, Alonso, Webber, Rosberg, Button, Massa, Sutil, Petrov, and Schumacher. Those not making the cut were Heidfeld, Di Resta, Pastor, Rubens, Perez, Buemi, and Alguersuari. Pastor would say when interviewed that it was a very difficult session. Today we found a better balance in the car that allowed them to push but it was disappointing not to make it into the Q3.

The final ten minute period would Alonso, Petrov, and Hamilton come out. Button would follow them joined by Massa and Webber. We only had Schumacher, Rosberg, and Sutil yet to come out. The drivers would start their first lap with Alonso setting a 1m:30.866 followed by Petrov with a 1m:32.690. But Hamilton would go fastest with a 1m:30.725. Button was now third, 1m:31.288, as Webber went fastest with a 1m:30.251. Team-mate Vettel would move into second with lap of 1m:30.352. Hamilton was now third from Alonso, Massa, Button, and Petrov.

Hamilton and Alonso would pit while Rosberg would leave the pits for his only run. Schumacher would follow him as we also had Webber, Vettel, Massa, Button, and Petrov all pit. Sutil would leave his pit with three minutes left in the period. Webber, Hamilton, and Alonso would all come out for their second run. They would be joined by Button and Petrov. We now had all the cars on the track as Rosberg set a 1m:35.572 to be eighth. Sutil was now seventh, 1m:32.010, while at the front Webber would set a 1m:30.079 while Hamilton would set a 1m:30.134 to be second. Vettel was able to set a 1m:30.216 to only be third. Alonso had dropped to fourth, 1m:30.442, followed by Massa, Rosberg, Button, Sutil, Petrov, and Schumacher in tenth.

For the Williams team seeing Pastor and Rubens start from thirteenth and fourteenth the possibility of securing some points would be difficult but not totally out of reach. Again the weather may play a role in the race with the chance of rain still present.