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The final
practice for the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix would see Williams F1 drivers
Pastor Maldonado and Bruno Senna finish in second and fourteenth. The turn
of speed shown by Pastor was very encouraging but now it was down to
qualifying. The conditions remained sunny while on the tyre front the teams
would have the hard and soft tyre to choose from. The big question would be
whether teams would limit their running, especially in the final period of
qualifying, on the soft tyre looking to save them for the race. The lower
teams may be forced to use them just to get the pace in the opening period.
The first twenty minute period would get underway with no driver yet to come
out after the first three minutes.
It was certainly a very quite start to qualifying with it becoming apparent
that the teams may be looking to save tyres by limiting their laps. But
finally it would be Di Resta out onto the track followed by Grosjean and
Raikkonen. More drivers would start to come out including Hulkenberg,
Alonso, Rosberg, Ricciardo, Vergne, Glock, Pic, and Perez. The hard tyre
seemed to be the tyre of choice for their first runs as the track became
very busy with fourteen minutes remaining. Bruno would be first out for
Williams with Di Resta setting a 1m:25.675 but he was passed by Grosjean
with a 1m:25.025. Raikkonen would be third as both McLaren's took to the
track. Pastor was still in his pit as Ricciardo moved into second,
1m:25.586, while Alonso went fastest from Rosberg with a 1m:24.326.
Raikkonen was now second as Perez went quickest with a 1m:24.261.
But Hamilton would take the fastest time with a 1m:24.123 with Perez now
second. Alonso was third from Raikkonen , Schumacher, Rosberg, and
Hulkenberg. Alonso would pit followed by Raikkonen, Di Resta, and Perez.
Button was in seventh with a 1m:24.730 while Bruno was in tenth with a
1m:24.981. Pastor was now out on the track while both Red Bull's were still
in their pits with eight and a half minutes remaining. Schumacher would
improve to be third with a 1m:24.262. Pastor was on a quick lap going
fastest in sector one, using the soft tyre. he would go fastest in sector
two and would finish it with a 1m:23.380 to be fastest. Vettel would come
out on the soft tyre with Webber following Vettel in his tyre choice. The
track was now near empty as Button complained of massive understeer. Bruno
was now twelfth as drivers started to return to the track. With five minutes
remaining the order was Pastor from Hamilton, Perez, Schumacher, Alonso,
Grosjean, Raikkonen, Button, Rosberg, and Massa in tenth.
Button would also come out on the soft tyre joined by Raikkonen and
Grosjean. Bruno was back out as Vettel went second with a 1m:23.951. But
Raikkonen would take this spot with a 1m:23.406. Webber was in third with a
1m:23.592 while Grosjean would go fastest with a 1m:23.248. Alonso was now
second, 1m:23.276,. as Pastor pitted. Bruno was now sixteenth and out on the
soft tyre. He would make a small mistake that cost him time while at the
front Rosberg moved into third, 1m:23.370. As the period drew to a close it
was now looking good for Bruno. Hamilton was now in fifteenth and on a good
lap. He would go fastest with a 1m:22.583 having had to use two sets of the
soft tyres. Pastor was now in fifth as the period came to an end. Fr Bruno
his period would come to an end as he would spin his car putting it into the
gravel at Turn twelve. He did not damage his car but he would not make it
past the first period. Joining him not making the cut would be Petrov,
Kovalainen, Pic, Glock, De la Rosa, and Karthikeyan.
At the front the order was Hamilton from Grosjean, Alonso, Rosberg, Pastor,
Kobayashi, Raikkonen, Button, Webber, Hulkenberg, Schumacher, Vettel, Di
Resta, Massa, Ricciardo, Perez, and Vergne in seventeenth. |
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Bruno was seen walking back to the Williams pit no doubt to explain what
went wrong. He would talk to his engineer as the second period started with
the Force India cars coming out first. There would be a rush of drivers
coming out with a lot of drivers coming out on used soft tyres. Pastor would
take to the track with ten minutes remaining as we had yet to see either
Lotus or Torro Rosso. Kobayashi was fastest with a 1m:24.031 with Hulkenberg
and Di rest following. But Perez would go fastest with a 1m:23.753.
But there would be a flood of times as Rosberg went fast3est with a
1m:23.401 with Alonso now second. Vettel was now fifth with a 1m:23.444
while Hamilton was fastest with a 1m:22.465 followed by Webber with a
1m:22.977. Pastor was down in ninth with a time of 1m:23.850. Now both Lotus
and Torro Rosso cars would come out looking to do just one run. Button was
in third as there was only four cars out on the track. Rosberg was fourth
from Vettel, Schumacher, Alonso, Perez, Pastor and Kobayashi in tenth.
Raikkonen would move up to second with a lap of 1m:22.856. But his team-mate
would move ahead into second with a 1m:22.667. Pastor was now in thirteenth
as more drivers returned to the track. Pastor would come back out with two
minutes remaining. He would have time to do only one lap.
Massa would find time to now be tenth with a 1m:23.444. Alonso would move up
to fourth with an 1m:22.862. Di Resta was now sixth while Hamilton remained
in his pit. Both Lotus cars also were still in their pits. Vettel was now
fifth with a 1m:22.884. Kobayashi was now in sixth while Perez was on a
quick lap. Pastor was also on a better lap as Perez went third, 1m:22.773.
But Pastor would take the top spot with a 1m:22.105, a great effort as they
get ready for the final period. Those not making the cut were Button,
Webber, Di Resta, Hulkenberg, Vergne, Ricciardo, and Massa.
The top ten was Pastor from Hamilton, Grosjean, Perez, Raikkonen, Alonso,
Rosberg, Vettel, Kobayashi, and Schumacher. But Kobayashi's qualifying would
come to an end as he pulled off the track with a hydraulic problem. He would
not be in the final period and would start from tenth. |
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Now it was down to Pastor carrying the momentum in the second period into
the final one. Vettel was waiting at the end of the pit lane keen to get
out. The ten minute period would commence with Vettel out on the track by
himself. he was on the soft tyre with Hamilton next out. The track was a bit
cooler with clouds over the track. It was a slow start from Vettel as he
pitted without setting a time. Schumacher was next out on the hard tyres.
Hamilton would set a 1m:22.560 while Rosberg came out. Like Vettel
Schumacher would pit without setting a time.
Four minutes remaining and we only had Rosberg ut on the track. It was
really looking like the teams were trying to save their tyres for the race
as Alonso came out onto the track. He was on a new set of soft tyres as
Rosberg went second, 1m:23.005, as Pastor left his garage. Pastor was on a
new set of tyres with Schumacher the only drivers now in the pits. Eight
drivers were out on the track with a minute remaining. Raikkonen was fastest
in the opening sector but Alonso would go fastest with a 1m:22.302.
Raikkonen would only finish in second with a 1m:22.487. But Grosjean would
go second while Pastor would go fastest with a 1m:22.285 but his time at the
top would be short as Hamilton went fastest with a 1m:21.707. Oh so close
for Pastor but second was a fantastic result for the Williams team.
So the top ten would be Hamilton from Pastor, Alonso, Grosjean, Raikkonen,
Perez, Rosberg, Vettel, Schumacher, and Kobayashi in tenth despite his
problems. For Hamilton his qualifying would hit a snag as he was told by his
team to pull off the track and stop the car. What was the issue? For Bruno
he would explain his qualifying by saying that it was not enough. In the end
my rear tyres gave up. Such a great reversal of fortunes for the Williams F1
team after their 2011 season. Now it is down to Pastor been able to produce
a good result in Sunday's race.
In the post
qualifying interview Pastor was asked where did you find the speed. He
answered ... We have been working so hard ... did a really good step for
this race. There is a really good atmosphere at the factor and here with the
team. |
