British GP: So close for Williams F1

Qualifying for the fifty two lap 2013 British Grand Prix had seen Williams F1 drivers Pastor Maldonado and Valtteri Bottas finish in sixteenth and seventeenth. But with the announcement that Di Resta had received a post-qualifying penalty and had been sent to the rear of the grid from his fifth. This would see both Williams F1 drivers move up one place with Pastor and Valtteri starting from fifteenth and sixteenth. On pole was Hamilton followed by Rosberg, Vettel, and Webber. IN fifth would be Ricciardo followed by Sutil, Grosjean, Raikkonen, Alonso, and Button tenth. On the tyre front Pirelli had brought their hard and medium tyres for the race. All of the top ten would start the race on the medium tyre.

It was dry and sunny as the cars moved away on their parade lap with Button, Vergne, Hulkenberg, Gutierrez, Pic, Di Resta, and Van der Gar all on the hard tyre. Both Williams drivers were on the medium tyre as the drivers returned to the grid to form up. The red lights would come on and go off and it would be Hamilton
leading with Vettel passing Rosberg. Sutil was fourth from Massa, Raikkonen, Ricciardo, and Button. Alonso was down in tenth while for Williams Valtteri was thirteenth and Pastor sixteenth. Webber was in fifteenth after having been hit by Grosjean. Alonso would pass Button for ninth while Valtteri would drop down the
order to be seventeenth.

Pastor was now in fifteenth and under attack by Vergne. Hamilton was leading Vettel by 1.2 seconds after lap two. Webber was told that he had front wing damage with the Red Bull now twelfth. Pastor would be passed by both Vergne and Di Resta seeing the Williams pair in seventeenth and eighteenth. Ricciardo in seventh was under pressure from Alonso as Hamilton completed lap five. Perez would pass Button for tenth followed by Webber also passing the McLaren for eleventh. On lap eight Hamilton would suffer a left rear puncture seeing him slow and drop quickly down the order. Hamilton's tyre had deflated but then exploded with parts going everywhere some only just missing Vettel.

Hamilton would finally pit coming back out last. Lap ten and Grosjean would pit joined by Di Resta. Pastor and Valtteri were now in sixteenth and seventeenth. Next it was Massa's turn to suffer a puncture again the left rear. Alonso and Webber would pit on lap eleven. Gutierrez would also come in followed by Van der Gar. Massa would limp back to the pits while at the front Raikkonen and Ricciardo had pitted on lap twelve. Button would also come in for a stop. Lap thirteen and Rosberg would pit joined by Sutil and Hulkenberg. Vettel would pit on lap fourteen taking on the hard tyre. Perez would also come in to change tyres while there would be another tyre failure this time for Vergne. He was able to come straight into the pits having his tyres changed. There was tyre debris on several places on the track. This would see the Safety Car come out as Pastor and Valtteri both pitted. Both Pastor and Valtteri had stayed on the medium tyre.

Vettel was told that his left rear tyre had some cuts and to stay off the kerbs. Lap sixteen and Vettel was leading from Rosberg, Sutil, Alonso, Raikkonen, Grosjean, Ricciardo, Perez, Webber and Button tenth. Massa would pit again taking on another set of tyres. Pastor was down in fifteenth and Valtteri seventeenth. While cars were under the Safety Car the marshals were out on the track removing the tyre debris. The Safety Car would come in at the end of lap twenty one and Vettel would pull out a quick lead over Rosberg. Perez would pass Webber for eighth but Webber would re-take the McLaren as Alonso was challenging Sutil for third. Lap twenty three and Vettel was leading by 1.4 seconds over Rosberg. Hamilton would pass Gutierrez for
thirteenth.

Valtteri would pass Vergne for sixteenth to be behind his team-mate. Lap twenty six and Hulkenberg and Vergne would both pit, Hulkenberg from eleventh. Lap twenty seven and Vettel had increased his lead out to 3.3 seconds. Ricciardo would pass Grosjean for sixth and Webber would also pass the Lotus to now be seventh. Raikkonen would pit on lap thirty taking on the hard tyre while on the following lap Alonso and Grosjean would both pit, with both taking on the hard tyre. The next lap would see Webber pit changing to mediums. Pastor had now moved up to thirteenth and Valtteri sixteenth. Ricciardo and Button would pit on lap thirty three. The next lap we would see Sutil, Perez, and Di Resta all come in with the Force India's taking on hards and Perez would return to the mediums. Vettel would pit from the lead on lap thirty six remaining on hard tyres while team-mate Webber had passed Alonso for fourth.

Pastor would pit on lap thirty eight while Valtteri would pit the following lap from fourteenth. Lap forty and Vettel was leading by 2.1 seconds from Rosberg with Raikkonen third. Webber was fourth followed by Alonso, Sutil, Ricciardo, Perez, Button, and Hamilton tenth. But the race would take another turn as Vettel suddenly slowed with no drive. He would say that he lost the gearbox as on lap forty two Alonso pitted. The Safety Car would be deployed due to the location of Vettel's stopped car seeing a rush of pit stops including Rosberg, Webber, Massa, Grosjean, and Di Resta. Rosberg had changed to hard tyres while Webber was back out on the medium tyre. Rosberg was now leading from Raikkonen, Sutil, Ricciardo, Webber, Perez, Button, Alonso, Hamilton, and Grosjean tenth. For Williams Pastor was in twelfth and Valtteri sixteenth. The Safety Car would come in on lap forty six with Rosberg pulling out in the lead.

Webber would pass Ricciardo for fourth while Button would be passed by Alonso for seventh. But there would be another tyre failure this time for Perez on the Hangar straight. Perez would pit while at the front Webber would pass Sutil for third. Perez would retire in his pit with major damage from the deflated tyre. Alonso and Hamilton would both pass Ricciardo seeing Alonso now fifth and Hamilton sixth. Webber was now attacking Raikkonen for second and would pass the Lotus at Copse. Alonso was attacking Sutil for fourth and would do so followed by Hamilton shortly after. Lap forty eight and Webber was 1.3 seconds behind Rosberg. But Rosberg would respond setting a fastest lap. Raikkonen was now under attacking from Alonso for third.

Pastor was now twelfth and Valtteri fourteenth. Alonso would get past Raikkonen for third with Hamilton also looking to get past the Lotus. He would get past seeing the Mercedes now fourth. Grosjean would be forced to pit on the last lap seeing Pastor now eleventh. Grosjean would retire and despite Webber's efforts he would finish second with Rosberg taking victory in the 2013 British GP. In third was Alonso from Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa, Sutil, Ricciardo, Di Resta, and Hulkenberg tenth. Pastor would come home in eleventh and twelfth. For the Williams team to be so close to scoring their first points of the season must have been so frustrating. It was a great drive from both Williams drivers in a race that saw so many other teams have issues.