Russian GP: Bottas 3rd in Qualifying

Team Summary:
Q1: After an encouraging final practice session the Williams Martini team would commence the opening eighteen minute qualifying period for the 2105 Russian GP. There was a degree of uncertainty over tyres what with the limited running in the practice sessions. Both Williams cars would take to the track running on the soft tyre. Both Manor, Sauber, and McLaren cars were on the option tyre. The first time was a 1m:40.529 from Verstappen with Merhi second. Nasr was now second and Valtteri third. Rosberg was fourth while Felipe was sixth. A 1m:38.556 from Rosberg to be quickest with Hamilton now second. Valtteri had dropped to tenth while Felipe was now fifth. Hulkenberg was now third followed by Grosjean.

Alonso was now fifth running on the option tyre, with Button sixth also on the same tyre. A 1m:38.558 from Hamilton but he would remain second. With eight minutes remaining the track was now quite empty as Vettel went third running on the option tyre. Rosberg had also improved with a 1m:38.343 as both Mercedes cars pitted. Raikkonen was now fourth with everyone bar the Mercedes cars on the super soft tyre. Both Williams cars were back out on the option tyre with Felipe moving up to fifth. This would become sixth as Grosjean moved into fourth. After the option tyre runs Valtteri and Felipe were sixth and seventh. Felipe would move up to fourth and Valtteri second with the end of the period.

Q2: With the start of the second fifteen minute period everyone was on the option tyre. A 1m:38.335 from Rosberg followed by Hulkenberg and Perez. Both Williams cars would pit as Hamilton went quickest with a 1m:37.672. Rosberg was second followed by Hulkenberg, Perez, Ricciardo, and Nasr sixth. Both Williams cars would come back out on new option tyres with eight minutes remaining. Rosberg would also improve setting a 1m:37.500 to again be quickest. Kvyat was now fifth with neither Williams or Ferrari cars having set a time. After their first laps Felipe and Valtteri were on twelfth and thirteenth. But their next laps would see Valtteri third with one minute remaining. The period would end with Felipe in fifteenth with his final lap seeing him fail to improve and out of qualifying.

Q3: Only one Williams car would make it into the final period of qualifying. With the start of the final period drivers would set quite slow lap times on their first laps looking to get tyre temperature and the first really quick time was a 1m:38.659 from Hulkenberg. But Vettel and Raikkonen would move ahead with Valtteri setting a 1m:37.912 to go quickest. But both Mercedes cars would go quicker with Rosberg fastest with a 1m:37.113 and Hamilton a 1m:37.433. Valtteri was now third. Rosberg was on a quicker lap going faster in sector one. Vettel was fourth and Raikkonen fifth. Rosberg would fail to improve as Hamilton pitted followed by Rosberg. With the end of the period Rosberg would retain his pole with Hamilton second and Valtteri third. Fourth was Vettel followed by Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Perez, Grosjean, Verstappen, and Ricciardo tenth.

Felipe Massa:
Q1: Felipe would follow Valtteri out also on the soft tyre. His first lap time was a slow 1m:47.092 but his next lap would be an improvement. A 1m:40.579 would see Felipe fifth but he would drop to sixth. Felipe would also pit currently in eighth. Felipe would also come out on the option tyre and he would commence an improved lap setting a 1m:39.387 to be fifth but he had some traffic. Felipe was able to improve with a 1m:38.926 to be fourth. He would pit ending his run.

Q2: Felipe would also come out on the used option tyre following Valtteri. Felipe would also pit after a sighting lap. He would return on a new set of options setting only a 1m:44.659. He would improve with a 1m:39.895 but remained fifteenth and out of qualifying. Felipe would complain that he lost the tyres on the rear completely on his final lap.

Valtteri Bottas:
Q1: Valtteri would take to the track first running on the soft tyre. Valtteri's first lap was a 1m:41.878 to be third but he would drop down to eleventh. Valtteri would pit and shortly after would come back this time on the option tyre. Valtteri was also able to find time and would set a 1m:39.348 to be sixth, pushing Felipe down to seventh. Valtteri would go quickest in sector one and would set a personal best in the second. He would finish with a 1m:28.448 to be second splitting the Mercedes
cars.

Q2: Valtteri would come out on the option tyre but it was a used set from the previous period. Valtteri would pit after one lap coming back out on a new set of option tyres to set a slow 1m:45.822 to be only fourteenth. But his next lap would see him set a 1m:38.228 to be third.

Q3: Valtteri's first quick lap time was a 1m:37.912 to go quickest but he would rop to third. After his first quick lap he would pit coming back out on new option tyres. He would fail to improve remaining third as the period ended. On his final lap Valtteri had put two wheels on the grass at the final corner. Valtteri was told that he was third and he would respond by saying that it was a good place to be and let's go for it.