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Team Summary:
The opening Friday practice session would get underway with a rush of
drivers all coming out with a mix of medium and soft tyres in use. Both
Williams drivers were running using the medium tyre. The first time was a
1m:39.513 from Stroll as more times started to be set. Quickly Leclerc would move ahead only to see Verstappen on the soft set a 1m:36.099. Verstappen
would set a 1m:33.449 followed by Leclerc, Gasly and Tsunoda. Perez would
move in to second also using the soft tyre while the Williams drivers were
currently 12th and 17th.
The times would continue to fall with Leclerc setting am1:33.440 as
Verstappen pitted having made slight contact with the wall. Sainz would go
quickest with a 1m:33.163 followed by Leclerc and Verstappen. The Williams
drivers were now currently eighth and 18th as Leclerc set a 1m:32.949 to be
quickest. Russell was now second ahead of Sainz, Verstappen, Hamilton, and
Gasly sixth. Perez was able to continue to use his soft tyre going quickest
with a 1m:32.759. But just as quickly Sainz was again quickest with a
1m:32.679 followed by Perez and Leclerc. The Williams drivers were currently
10th and 19th. Leclerc was now second followed by Norris as the lap times
continued to fall with Sainz setting a 1m:32.443. Alonso would improve to be
sixth also benefitting from the soft tyre.
Hamilton would improve to be second as Bottas would spin going into the
barrier seeing the session Red Flagged. The session would restart with the
Williams drivers currently 13th and 20th as both drivers returned using the
soft tyre. There would be a rush of drivers returning as we had Sainz return
to the pits after a spin. Verstappen was now quickest with a 1m:31.277 while
we would have a Williams second. Russell was now third followed by Hamilton,
Perez, Sainz, Gasly, and Leclerc. Russell was able to move into second
seeing the Williams now third. Leclerc was again fastest with a 1m:31.098
followed by Russell and Verstappen.
Both Williams cars would be out running on the medium tyre as the session
ended. They would finish in seventh and 20th with Alex leading Nicholas as
the drivers were allowed by complete practice starts. The top ten would be
Leclerc, Russell, Verstappen, Perez, Gasly, Sainz, Alex, Hamilton, Magnussen
and Ricciardo. Even if it was a low
fuel run that got him there a 7th from Alex was such a lift for the Williams
Racing Team. Now the bigger issue is to get some pace from Nicholas to bring
him closer to his team-mate.
Alex Albon:
Alex would also use the medium tyre for his first run in the Friday
practice. Alex would set a 1m:39.325 to be 11th but would drop to 12th. But
a 1m:36.963 would see Alex seventh. He would drop to twelfth. A 1m:36.080
would see Alex now 15th. But a 1m:34.495 from Alex having completed seven
laps on the medium would see him now eighth. He would pit after having
completed nine laps currently ninth. With just under thirty minutes
remaining Alex would return for a soft tyre run. He would currently be 13th
as he pitted with a Red Flag. With the restart Alex would return using the
soft tyre. He would drop to 15th but a 1m:31.854 would see him second in
what was a stunning lap. He would drop to third pitting after a four lap
run. He would return back on the medium tyre as the session drew to a close
currently now seventh and with the end of the session this is where he would
remain.
Nicholas Latifi:
Nicholas would be first out for Williams in the opening Friday practice
session. Nicholas would set a slow 1m:48.267 as he got to grips with this
new track. He would improve with a 1m:40.251 to currently be 17th. He would
improve with a 1m:38.539 to be 18th and slowest in the session. Another
small improvement with a 1m:37.940 would see Nicholas remain 18th. He would
pit after a nine lap run on the medium. Nicholas would drop to 19th as he
would return for a run on the soft tyre. He would set a 1m:35.637 but
remained 19th, dropping to 20th. He would pit with a Red Flag and with the
restart he would return this time on used medium tyres. He would complete
his session remaining slowest. |
