Italian GP: 3rd & 4th for Williams Martini

With the Williams Martini drivers finishing qualifying for the 2014 Italian Grand Prix in third and fourth the prospects for the race were looking very good. But the team would have to deal with the Mercedes pair that sat first and second on the grid with Hamilton leading Rosberg. Valtteri Bottas was third followed by team-mate Felipe Massa. Behind the Williams cars were Magnussen followed by Button, Alonso, Vettel, Ricciardo, and Perez tenth. The second Ferrari of Raikkonen was down in eleventh while for Caterham Ericsson would start his race from the pit lane. Kvyat had qualified eleventh but would start his race from twenty first having received a ten place grid penalty for exceeding his engine unit allocation. Everyone was on the medium tyre except for Hulkenberg, Sutil, Gutierrez, Grosjean, Kvyat and Ericsson. Both Williams drivers were on the medium tyre as the grid moved away on their parade lap for the fifty three lap race.

The grid would return and form up and with the start it would be a great start from both Williams cars joined by Magnussen. Hamilton had made a poor start and was down in fourth with Felipe third. For Williams Valtteri had dropped to tenth. Vettel was in fifth followed by Button, Alonso, Perez, Hulkenberg and Raikkonen. Valtteri had dropped to eleventh while Felipe had Hamilton right behind him as they completed lap two. Rosberg was leading by 1.9 seconds over Magnussen. Felipe was told that DRS was enabled as Rosberg continued to extend his lead. Replays had shown that Valtteri had made a poor start seeing him drop down as they ran down into Turn one. Felipe would pass Magnussen for second with Hamilton also coming past while further back Valtteri was able to pass Hulkenberg going into Turn one to now be tenth. Lap six and Chilton would go off the track to retire after running over the kerbs.

Felipe was fastest on lap six and was 3.8 seconds behind Rosberg. But Hamilton was right behind the Williams with Magnussen now 2.8 seconds behind the Mercedes. Lap eight and Hamilton would go fastest and was right with Felipe. At the front Rosberg would miss the first chicane but was able to continue still leading. Hamilton would pass Felipe using DRS going into Turn one. Valtteri had past Raikkonen for ninth with Perez eighth. Hamilton was now 2.2 seconds behind Rosberg after lap ten with Felipe quickly dropping away from Hamilton. At the front the Mercedes pair were trading quickest laps with Felipe now in a lonely third place. Lap fourteen and Valtteri would get past Perez on the run into Turn one with his focus now Alonso who was in
seventh. Hamilton continued to slowly close into onto Rosberg with Vettel now right behind fourth placed Magnussen. Valtteri would get past Alonso for seventh and was now looking to pass Button. He would do this on the run down the start straight into Turn one, and was then right behind Vettel. The Williams cars were certainly using their straight line speed to their advantage. Vettel would pit on lap nineteen taking on the hard tyre. He would come back out in fifteenth while for Williams Valtteri was now 1.1 seconds behind fourth placed Magnussen.

Perez and Hulkenberg would also pit on lap twenty which for Hulkenberg was unusual as he had been on the hard tyre. Perez was now on the hard tyre and Hulkenberg the medium. Valtteri was able to get past Magnussen again on the run down into Turn one. Lap twenty one and Raikkonen would pit from ninth while on the next lap Magnussen and Alonso would both pit. Maldonado would also pit from twelfth with all three drivers were on the hard tyre. At the front Felipe was now 9.4 seconds behind Hamilton with Valtteri 12.7 seconds behind his team-mate. Button would pit on lap twenty three also taking on the hard tyre. Felipe would pit on lap twenty four taking on the hard tyre. Felipe would come back out in fifth with Valtteri now third. Rosberg would pit on lap twenty five also switching to the hard tyre. Valtteri would also come in followed by Vergne. Valtteri would be past by Vettel, Magnussen, and Perez as they went through Turn one. Hamilton was in for his stop and would come back out close behind Rosberg as they went through Turn one. Valtteri would pass Perez going into Turn one taking eighth place.

Ricciardo would making his stop coming in from fourth with Kvyat taking this spot. The order was Rosberg from Hamilton, Felipe, Kvyat, Vettel, Magnussen, Valtteri, Perez, Button and Alonso tenth. At the front Rosberg would make a mistake at Turn one missing the chicane with Rosberg having to run through the escape road. This will see Hamilton take the lead while for Ferrari they would see Alonso pull off the track to retire at the Turn one escape road. Rosberg was told that he had to save fuel as he dropped back to be 2.6 seconds behind Hamilton after lap thirty. Kvyat would pit on lap thirty one while Valtteri would make small contact with Magnussen as he tried to pass the McLaren going round the outside. Button was looking to pass seventh placed Perez while in front of them Valtteri still was looking to get past Magnussen. The incident that had seen Valtteri and Magnussen making contact as Turn one was now under investigation. Lap thirty six and the order was Hamilton, Rosberg, Felipe, Vettel, Magnussen, Valtteri, Perez, Button, Ricciardo and Raikkonen tenth.

Finally Valtteri would get past Magnussen going into Turn one with the stewards announcing that Magnussen would have five second pit stop penalty for forcing Valtteri off the track. This would ruin Magnussen's race as he had already made his scheduled stop. Lap thirty nine and Button would pas Perez at Turn one but Perez would fight back going back past Button at the second Lesmo. Valtteri was now right behind Vettel and he would get past going into Turn one to see the Williams drivers third and fourth. Ricciardo would also get past Button at the same place moving into eighth. Ricciardo would continue moving forward getting past Perez for seventh as Button and Perez continued their fight for eighth behind the Red Bull. Ricciardo was now right behind Magnussen with the Red Bull getting past going into Turn one with ten laps remaining. Lap forty seven and Ricciardo was able to get past team-mate Vettel for fifth using his newer tyres.

Lap fifty and Hamilton was still leading from Rosberg with Felipe a lonely third. Valtteri was also now running by himself in fourth with Ricciardo 10.9 seconds behind the Williams in fifth. Vettel was sixth followed by Magnussen who still had to get his five second penalty. Perez was eighth followed by Button and Raikkonen. Kvyat would have a huge moment going into the Turn one chicane having to take to the escape road, later complaining that he had no brakes. Hamilton would finish the race taking victory from Rosberg and Felipe in a fantastic third. Valtteri was still fourth in what was a great fight back by the Finn. Ricciardo was fifth from Vettel, Magnussen, Perez, Button, and Raikkonen. But it was expected that Magnussen would drop to tenth after his penalty. The results will see Williams move ahead of Ferrari in the Constructors championship, a great result for the Williams team.