Italian GP: Strong qualifying for Williams Martini

The final practice session for the 2014 Italian Grand Prix would see the Williams Martini team finish in an encouraging third and fourth. Valtteri Bottas would lead team-mate Felipe Massa by the smallest of margins. Now it was qualifying with the sun out as the Williams team prepared for the first eighteen minute period. The final practice had seen Rosberg not set a time with a gearbox related issue but his team was able to fix the issue. Kvyat would see a ten place grid penalty due to his use of an engine unit above his allowed limits. The period would commence with Bianchi first out followed by Kobayashi and Chilton. Perez would also come out with both Caterham's cars on the medium tyre while everyone else was on the hard.

Rosberg was out early looking to test his repaired car followed by Hamilton. More drivers were coming out including Hulkenberg, both Sauber's, Alonso, and Kvyat. Raikkonen was also out with fifteen minutes remaining. A 1m:28.299 from Kobayashi with Perez second with a 1m:28.426. Hulkenberg was third as both Williams cars came out running on the hard tyre. Vergne would set a 1m:27.516 to be fastest but Kvyat would go quicker with a 1m:26.734 as Kobayashi pitted. Everyone except Grosjean was now out for their first runs as Alonso set a 1m:26.514 to be quickest. But Rosberg would easily go faster with a 1m:25.862. Hamilton would go even quicker with a 1m:25.571. Both Caterham's were now back in their pits as Felipe went second with a time of 1m:25.607.

Rosberg was now third followed by Alonso, Kvyat, Vergne, and Hulkenberg. Both Marussia cars were out on the medium tyre as Kvyat pitted. Bianchi was eleventh and Chilton thirteenth. Magnussen was now in fourth, 1m:26.337, while Valtteri's first lap would see him fourth fastest with a 1m:26.012. Felipe would go fastest in the first sector and Hamilton fastest in the second. Felipe would go quicker with a 1m:25.528. Hamilton was now second followed by Rosberg, Valtteri, Magnussen, Alonso, Button, Vettel, Ricciardo, and Kvyat tenth. Valtteri would pit as Rosberg would go quickest with a 1m:25.493, seeing Felipe just 0.035 behind Rosberg. Grosjean was still in his pit with a fluid leak in his car. Felipe was now back in his pit with six minutes remaining.

Hamilton would also improve with a 1m:25.363 to be quickest from Rosberg and Felipe. The top ten were all back in their pits with everyone from eleventh down all out on the medium tyre. On the medium tyre Hulkenberg would move from thirteenth to tenth with Vergne now fifth, 1m:26.140. Perez was now ninth with Hulkenberg eleventh. Kvyat was now sixth as the period came to an end with those not making the cut were Maldonado, Grosjean, Kobayashi, Bianchi, Chilton, and Ericsson. The top ten was Hamilton from Rosberg, Felipe, Valtteri, Vergne, Kvyat, Button, Magnussen, Hulkenberg, and Alonso tenth. Vettel and Raikkonen would finish in twelfth and thirteenth, while Ricciardo was down in fourteenth. Both Williams cars were into the second period very easily.

The second fifteen minute period would get underway with Hulkenberg out first running on the medium tyre. He was followed by Kvyat and Sutil. Rosberg was out very early with all on the medium tyre with the Ferrari's also coming out. Both Williams cars had left the pit lane also on the medium tyre as Hulkenberg set a 1m:31.488 using this as a warm-up lap. Fastest sector times were being shared around as Kvyat set a 1m:26.205 on new medium tyres. A 1m:24.682 from Rosberg to be quickest as Valtteri set a 1m:24.882 to be second. Felipe was now third with a 1m:25.046, 0.164 behind Valtteri. Alonso was now fourth followed by Perez, Raikkonen, Kvyat, Hulkenberg, Gutierrez, and Sutil tenth. Rosberg and Valtteri had both pitted joined by Felipe, Alonso, Perez, and Raikkonen.

Kvyat and Vergne were seventh and eighth as Hamilton, both McLaren's, and both Red Bull's were out for their first runs. Hamilton would go fastest in sector two and Vettel went sixth fastest, 1m:25.922, and Ricciardo seventh. Hamilton would go fastest with a 1m:24.560 and Button sixth, 1m:25.630. Vettel and Ricciardo were now eighth and ninth with five minutes remaining. Everyone was back in their pits with Raikkonen being first back out followed by Valtteri shortly after. More drivers started to come back out including Felipe, Vettel, Ricciardo, Rosberg, and Hamilton. Now all sixteen cars were out on the track as Raikkonen aborted his lap after making a few mistakes. Rosberg goes fastest in the first sector as the period came to an end. Rosberg does not improve as Alonso pits. Magnussen was now tenth seeing Kvyat drop to eleventh.

Those not making the cut were Kvyat, Raikkonen, Vergne, Hulkenberg, Sutil, and Gutierrez. The top ten would be Hamilton from Rosberg, Valtteri, Felipe, Alonso, Button, Vettel, Perez, Ricciardo, and Magnussen. Kvyat will start the race from twenty first with his penalty. Both Williams into the final period, now it was down to whether they could produce the same pace.