Abu Dhabi GP: Williams out by few tenths in qualifying

For the Williams F1 team the lead-up to qualifying for the 2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix had been a disappointing time with both Pastor Maldonado and Valtteri outside the top ten in all the practice sessions. With the start of the first twenty minute period there would be a rush of drivers taking to the track. The drivers would have the medium and soft tyres to choose from as Pastor and Valtteri took to the track. The track was very busy with only the two Red Bulls and Alonso still in their pits. Drivers would start their flying laps with Di Resta setting a 1m:52.651 with Chilton moving ahead with a 1m:44.974. Vergne would go fastest with a 1m:43.442 with Ricciardo now second. Perez would go second but just as quickly we would have Rosberg fastest with a 1m:42.567 and Button second. Hamilton would go second with a 1m:42.573 and Raikkonen third. Hulkenberg was fourth from Button and Vergne. Pastor's first lap would see him currently ninth with a 1m:43.521 and Valtteri sixteenth with a 1m:44.280.

The sun was now starting to set with Alonso now out on the track. Both Williams drivers were on the medium tyre fro their first run with twelve minutes remaining. Perez was on a quick lap going fastest in sector one and two but drivers would find time as Perez went third with a 1m:42.890. Alonso had gone fourth on his first lap but had now dropped to seventh. Rosberg would improve with a 1m:42.279 with Hamilton second. Vergne was now sixth followed by Sutil and Valtteri now eighth, 1m:43.092. Pastor was now in fifteenth as drivers continued on their medium tyre runs. Button would go third with a 1m:42.609 as Perez went fastest in sector one. Both Williams drivers were back in their pits as Alonso went fourth with a 1m:42.613. Massa was
down in sixteenth.

Both Red Bull's were now out on the track and straight onto the soft tyre. There were only a few cars out on the track as Hamilton went fastest with a 1m:42.231. Vettel would start his timed lap as more drivers returned to the track. Both Lotus cars were on the soft tyre for their second run as Webber went fastest in the opening two sectors. Vettel would finish with a 1m:41.683 to go fastest but Webber would go quicker with a 1m:41.568. Valtteri was now twelfth and Pastor seventeenth with four minutes remaining. Both Williams drivers were out on the soft tyre Raikkonen would go quickest with a 1m:41.276 as Vettel was told to set another timed lap. Pastor would finish his soft tyre lap with a 1m:42.019 to be fourth. But he would rop to tenth as others also went quicker on the soft tyre. Valtteri was now seventh with a 1m:41.862. Pastor had dropped to be eleventh as both Red Bull cars pitted.

Grosjean as now second with a 1m:41.447 with Hulkenberg fourth. Sutil was now twelfth with a 1m:42.051. Button would go sixth fastest while Alonso would move up to second as Massa went fastest with a 1m:41.254. Pastor was on a quicker lap as was Hamilton. Pastor would improve to be third with a 1m:41.365. The track was improving all the time as Hamilton set a 1m:40.693 to be quickest. The session would end with Pastor fourth and Valtteri fifteenth. Those not making the cut were Gutierrez, Sutil, Van der Gar, Bianchi, Pic, and Chilton. The top ten was Hamilton from Massa, Raikkonen, Pastor, Alonso, Rosberg, Grosjean, Webber, Hulkenberg, and Di Resta tenth.

Both the Williams F1 cars were through to the second period of qualifying. It really was coming down to the track conditions at the time that drivers would set tehir times as the temperature continued to fall. The second fifteen minute period would commence with Di Resta out first running on the soft tyre. Button and Hulkenberg would follow with Webber next out. More drivers would come out all on the soft tyre with Webber running on the same soft tyre from the first period. The only drivers yet to come out were Perez and the two Williams. But Pastor would take to the track as Di Resta set a 1m:41.477 to set the initial quickest time. A 1m:41.845 to be second but Hulkenberg would go quickest with a 1m:41.147. A 1m:41.324 from Webber would see him second as Raikkonen went fastest with a 1m:40.971.

Grosjean was now third behind Hulkenberg with Vergne fifth. Rosberg would go fastest with a 1m:40.473 as Massa went fourth, 1m:41.209. Hamilton was now second with a time of 1m:40.477. Vettel could only go third fastest, 1m:40.781, with Pastor now down in thirteenth with a 1m:41.706. Valtteri's first lap would see him just one place behind Pastor with a 1m:41.751. Alonso was now twelfth while Massa was well up the times with a 1m:41.209. Perez was now ninth as Pastor pitted shortly followed by Valtteri. Five minutes remaining as the lights started to take over as the sun continued to set. Di Resta was back out along with both Williams cars. More drivers started to return with Di Resta on an improved lap. He would finish with a 1m:41.133 to be sixth. Grosjean would move up to fifth with a 1m:40.987.

Alonso would go fastest in the first sector while for Williams both Pastor and Valtteri would do personal bests in their first sector. Neither Rosberg or Vettel were out on the track as Pastor set a 1m:41.395 to be eleventh. Valtteri would set a 1m:41.447 to be twelfth. The Williams drivers were running close together as Webber went fastest in sector one and two. Webber would finish with a 1m:40.575 to be third with Vettel fourth. Perez was now fifth followed by Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, Raikkonen, Grosjean, Raikkonen, and Massa tenth. Pastor and Valtteri would finish the period in fifteenth and sixteenth. Alonso would miss out finishing in eleventh. So those not making the cut were Alonso, Di Resta, Button, Vergne, Pastor, and Valtteri. The top ten was Rosberg from Hamilton, Webber, Vettel, Perez, Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, Grosjean, Raikkonen, and Massa tenth.

The final ten minute period would commence with Hulkenberg out first followed by Ricciardo. Everyone weer on new soft tyres as we now had nine drivers out on the track with only Massa still in his pit. The drivers would start their flying laps with Webber fastest in sector one. A 1m:41.379 from Hulkenberg but Hamilton would go fastest with a 1m:40.501 but Rosberg would go fastest with a 1m:40.419. But Vettel would move to the top of the times with a 1m:40.091 to be quickest by three tenths. Webber was down in fifth with a 1m:40.759. We had yet to see times from Ricciardo, Perez, and Massa. Grosjean was sixth and Hulkenberg seventh.

The drivers would come back out for their second runs with all ten drivers now on the track. Webber would go fastest in sector one as other drivers also improved. Webber would continue his lap going quickest in sector two. Webber would finish with a 1m:39.957 to be fastest. Hamilton would spin the final sector as Vettel crossed the line to be only second with a 1m:40.075. Rosberg was now third joined by Hamilton in fourth. Raikkonen was fifth followed by Hulkenberg, Grosjean, Massa, Perez and Ricciardo tenth. Once again the Williams F1 team will see their drivers start Sunday's race from towards the rear of the grid. Again it was going to come down to strategy and a far amount of luck.