Bahrain GP: Impressive qualifying from Williams Racing

Team Summary:
The start of qualifying for the 2021 Bahrain GP would see both Williams drivers out very early both on the soft tyre. They would be joined by the Haas cars and it would be Mick Schumacher who would set a 1m:33.861 to be the only time set. There would be a rush of drivers coming out including both Williams drivers who had pitted failing to set a time. Nineteen cars were out all on the soft tyre. With ten minutes remaining there was only ine lap time but Norris would go quickest with a 1m:31.754 only to see Sainz and Leclerc go quicker. But Hamilton would go quickest with a 1m:30.167 followed by Perez and Bottas. But Verstappen would return to the top of the times with a 1m:30.499 with Tsunoda now second. Hamilton was now third followed by Gasly, Perez, Bottas, Sainz, Ricciardo, Leclerc, and Norris tenth. The Williams pair were 17th and 18th.

There would be a large number of cars coming out for second runs on the soft tyre, including both Williams. Both AlphaTauri cars were still in their garages. With their final runs thbe order would be Verstappen, Tsunoda, Hamilton, Leclerc, Ricciardo, Gasly, Alonso, Norris, Giovinazzi, and Perez tenth. The Williams drivers would finish in 13th and 17th. From George it was a stunning performance to get his car into Q2.

Q2 would see a large number of drivers coming out on a mix of soft and medium tyres. Both Alfa Romeos were on the soft tyre but the Mercedes and Red Bull cars were on the medium. Bottas would set a 1m:30.559 but Verstappen would move ahead with a 1m:30.318. But Hamilton would go quickest with a 1m:30.085 from Verstappen and Bottas. All fifteen drivers were out on the track some on second runs with Ricciardo and Perez not having set a time as their first times was deleted. Bottas would move in to second on the medium tyre as the period ended. But on the soft tyre Leclerc would go quickest but Sainz would move ahead with a 1m:30.009, making the top tem Sainz Leclerc, Hamilton, Norris, Bottas, Ricciardo, Verstappen, Gasly, Alonso, and Stroll tenth.

The final period would see the normal two soft tyre runs with Verstappen quickest on the first run but the second would see Verstappen retain pole with a time of 1m:28.997 followed by Hamilton, Bottas, Leclerc, Gasly, Ricciardo, Norris, Sainz, Alonso and Stroll tenth. The Williams Racing drivers would finish the session in 15th and 17th with the encouraging thing been what appeared to be an improved pace from both George and Nicholas looking at and comparing their Q1 times relative to several cars in front of them. Still near the bottom of the grid but even so it was a great effort from the team and both drivers.

Nicholas Latifi:
Nicholas would follow his team-mate out also on the soft tyre and like his team-mate he would pit without setting a time. His first timed lap would see Nicholas set a 1m:32.510 to finish ahead of his team-mate. He was 17th and would pit after a three lap run. Nicholas would come back out for a second soft tyre run and would move up to 14th with a 1m:31.936 but would drop to 17th. As such he was out of qualifying. But he did finish ahead of Vettel who was 18th.

George Russell:
George would be out first for Williams using the soft tyre. He would start his first flying lap but would not set a time returning to his pit. George would then join a rush of drivers coming out and would set a 1m:32.589 to be currently seventh. But he would rapidly drop to 18th and behind Nicholas. He would pit after a three lap run and he would return again on the soft tyre. His lap would see him set a 1m:31.316 to move up to seventh. But he would drop eventually to 13th and as a result was into Q2 in what was a fantastic result. With the start of Q2 George would wait most likely having used and extra set of soft tyres in Q1. With everyone having completed their first runs in Q2 George would come out for a single soft tyre run but they were used tyres. He would set a 1m:33.430 to be 13th and after a three lpa run he would pit. In the pits he would drop to 15th which was not totally unexpected by regardless the result was fantastic. As a result his qualifying was over.