Australian GP: Massa sixth in qualifying for Williams

Team Summary:
Q1:Quick summary of new qualifying sees Q1 with twenty two cars the first eliminated after seven minutes and then one car every 90 seconds to the end of the sixteen minute period. Q2 see fifteen cars with the first eliminated after six minutes with one car going after every 90 seconds. This will leave eight cars for Q3 where the first car will be eliminated after five minutes with a car every 90 seconds. This will leave two cars one of which will secure pole.

For Williams Martin the final practice had seen Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa finish in an encouraging seventh and ninth running on the supersoft tyre. With the start of Q1 everyone was on the supersoft tyre including both Williams cars. Rosberg would run wide onto the grass at Turn one on his first lap. A 1m:26.635 from Hamilton from Hulkenberg and Kvyat. After their first runs the Williams drivers were seventh and eighth with Valtteri leading Felipe.

Everyone was on second laps as Raikkonen went quickest with a 1m:26.579 but Hamilton would move back ahead with a 1m:25.351. First to be eliminated was Wehrlein as both Williams cars pitted, currently in ninth and twelfth. Alonso was up into second with a 1m:26.537. Both Hass cars had been eliminated. For Williams Felipe was back out and would move up to second with the quickest time he had done so far this weekend. The other two drivers to be eliminated were Kvyat and Nasr.

Q2: Both Williams cars were safely into the second period as the period commenced. Again everyone was out on the supersoft tyre. A 1m:24.605 from Hamilton sees him fastest. After the first runs Felipe and Valtteri weer third and seventh as the first elimination took place with Ericsson out. Both Williams drivers would pit but it would only be Valtteri who would come back out. But his next lap would not be any improvement seeing him eliminated. Felipe was into the final period. The top eight was Hamilton from Rosberg, Vettel, Sainz, Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Verstappen and Felipe.

Q3: The final fourteen minute period would commence with the Mercedes and Ferrari's coming out early. Vettel was quickest with a 1m:24.675 but Hamilton would go ahead with a 1m:24.133. Rosberg was now fourth behind Raikkonen. Felipe was now fifth but Verstappen would take this spot. The first to be eliminated was Ricciardo followed by Sainz. Hamilton was quickest with a 1m:23.897 followed by Rosberg with a 1m:24.197. Vettel was third followed by Raikkonen, Verstappen, Felipe, Sainz, and Ricciardo.

Felipe Massa:
Q1:Felipe would be first out for Williams running on the supersoft tyre. Felipe's first lap time was a 1m:27.333 to see him third. As others went fastest he would drop to sixth. Felipe would be ninth with eight minutes remaining. Felipe would return to the track with five minutes remaining. Felipe would go quickest in the first sector and would finish with a 1m:25.918.

Q2: Felipe was out early but was a bit behind Valtteri. Felipe would set a 1m:25.644 to be third. Felipe would drop to eighth but had remained in the pits. He would make it into the final period.

Q3: Felipe would wait a short while before he takes to the track. His first lap was a 1m:25.458 to be fifth but he would drop to sixth. Felipe had pitted and would just sit in his pit as the clock counted down and he was eliminated.

Valtteri Bottas:
Q1: Valtteri would come out a few cars behind Felipe for his first run. Valtteri would set a 1m:27.135 to be sixth. With eight minutes remaining Valtteri was eighth. Valtteri was now twelfth but still in his pit as the final minutes counted down. With the end of the period Valtteri would finish in thirteenth.

Q2: Valtteri would come out early and his first lap would be a 1m:25.961 to see him sixth. He would drop to seventh. Having pitted Valtteri would return for a further run on a new set of supersoft tyres. Valtteri was now in the elimination zone and with his last lap not seeing any improvement he would be out of qualifying. He will start Sunday's race from eleventh.