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With the AT&T
Williams drivers finishing the final practice session at the Sepang circuit
in thirteenth and fifteenth positions qualifying would be somewhat of an
unknown. The opening twenty period would get underway with a rush of drivers
taking to the track. Kazuki Nakajima will have to take a ten place grid
penalty so it would be interesting to see how the Williams team would manage
this in terms of strategy.
 Both
Nico and Kazuki were out on the track with seventeen minutes remaining. It
was reported that there could be rain so it may be the case that drivers
will go for a quick time. Massa was fastest from Hamilton. But Raikkonen
would move to the top of the times with a 1m:35.997. Trulli would move ahead
of Hamilton and into third. But Webber would take this spot, 1m:36.508.
Kazuki was down in eleventh, 1m:37.847. He would drop to twelfth as Nico
moved into eighth, 1m:37.085. This would become ninth.
Glock was now third behind Raikkonen and Massa. Hamilton was now in sixth.
Nico's next lap, 1m:36.691, would see him in seventh. Kazuki was now in
thirteenth. Massa was now in first, 1m:35.347, as Hamilton also moved up the
order to second, 1m:35.392. The top ten had now all pitted as Kovalainen
went fastest, 1m:35.227. Kubica would move up to fifth, 1m:35.794, but team-mate
Heidfeld would move into this spot. Kazuki was now in sixteenth. Nico, still
in the pits, was tenth. Everyone had set a time with under half the period
remaining.
Kazuki's next flying lap would see him improve to now be in seventh,
1m:36.490. He would drop to ninth as Button and Piquet moved ahead of him.
Nico, still in the pits, was now sixteenth. Trulli was now fastest,
1m:35.205. Kazuki returned to the pits as Nico came back out. Alonso was in
seventeenth. With under five minutes remaining there was only a handful of
drivers on the circuit. Nico was one of them and he was on a quick lap.
Alonso would move up to ninth. Nico was now in eighth, 1m:35.843, but as
Webber went fifth fastest this became ninth. Button was now in tenth. Kazuki
was out on his next run looking to improve from seventeenth.
As the final minute started it did not look good for Kazuki but given his
ten grid penalty it probably would not really effect his final grid position
by much. Nico was in ninth as the period came to an end. Those not making
the cut were Fisichella, Kazuki, Bourdais, Sato, Sutil, and Davidson. At the
front it was Trulli fastest from Kovalainen, Massa, Hamilton, Webber,
Raikkonen, Heidfeld, Kubica, Nico, and Button in tenth. |
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 The
next fifteen minute period would commence with both McLaren and Ferrari
drivers straight out of the pit lane. Nico would join them. They would be
joined by several other drivers. Both McLaren's were on the softer tyre.
Raikkonen would set the fastest time, 1m:34.188, as Kovalainen moved in to
second . Massa was now third ahead of Hamilton. But Trulli would move into
third. Nico was down in seventh, 1m:35.780. Webber was now in sixth. Several
drivers would pit, including Nico. Button was now in seventh and Glock
eighth.
Nico had dropped to ninth. Barrichello was in tenth. Alonso was move up the
order to now be in sixth, 1m:35.259. Kubica was now third. This would become
fourth as Heidfeld went second fastest, 1m:34.648. Nico was now in
thirteenth. Everyone had pitted except for the BMW's. With five minutes left
Nico would come back out for his second run. With the BMW's pitting he was
the only driver on the circuit. Nico would start his flying lap. Several
other drivers had also left the pit lane.
Nico would not improve his time and remained in thirteenth. The top four
drivers had remained in their pits. As the period came to an end Nico would
pit meaning that neither Williams driver would make it into the final
qualifying period. Massa and Hamilton would improve to now be second and
third. Nico was now in sixteenth. Thos not making the cut would be Button,
Coulthard, Piquet, Barrichello, Vettel, and Nico. The top ten was Raikkonen
from Massa, Hamilton, Heidfeld, Kovalainen, Kubica, Webber, Glock, and
Alonso. |
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 With
both Williams drivers failing to making it into the final ten minute period
it would get underway with Kovalainen first out of the pit lane. There was a
rush of drivers joining him. Most drivers were on the softer tyre except the
McLaren's. Glock was still in the pits. He would finally come out with six
and a half minutes left.
Massa was fastest, 1m:36.434, and Raikkonen second. Kovalainen was third
from Kubica, Hamilton, and Trulli in sixth. Kovalainen would pit joined by
Raikkonen and Hamilton. With under three minutes remaining Hamilton was back
out on the softer tyre. Raikkonen was now fastest but Massa's next lap would
see him improve with a 1m:35.748 to move ahead of his team-mate. Raikkonen
was now second from Kovalainen with Hamilton now in fourth. Trulli was in
fifth followed by Kubica, Heidfeld, Webber, Alonso, and Glock in tenth. So
we have an all Ferrari front row. McLaren would secure the second row.
Several drivers, Heidfeld and Alonso, could feel somewhat frustrated by
having to contend with slower cars on the track as they completed their
flying laps.
But for the AT&T Williams team the result must have been a major
disappointment after the success in Australia. Sunday race will be a very
difficult one for both Williams drivers. |
