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Team Summary:
After a disappointing Friday practice that saw both Williams drivers in the
bottom five now it was the Saturday practice and there we questions as to
whether the team has found pace overnight. After a short wait the first car
of Alonso would take to the track on the medium tyre. He would set a
1m:21.020 setting the only time. With over ten minutes of the session
completed more drivers would start to come out including Perez and Ricciardo
both on the medium. Next out were the Alfa Romeos both on the soft tyre. A
1m:20.388 from Perez with Ricciardo now second behind the Red Bull. The Haas
cars were next out also using the soft tyre followed by both Ferrari's also
on the soft. A 1m:19.732 from Raikkonen but Giovinazzi goes quicker with a
1m:19.368.
Vettel was out on the medium along with Norris. Leclerc would go quickest
with a 1m:18.997 as more drivers came out on the medium tyre. Sainz was now
fifth followed by Vettel and Ricciardo. Both Haas cars were slowest while
sainz would move into second on his second lap. Leclerc would go quicker
with a 1m:18.882. After their soft tyres runs the Williams drives were
seventh and twelfth. Both Ferrari's would pit joined by George. At the
front it would be Hamilton fastest with a 1m:18.304 followed by Bottas both
on the soft tyre while Verstappen on the medium was third. The Williams
drivers were currently 14th and 16th. But this would become 15th and 17th
with both cars back out on the soft tyre again.
With thirty minutes remaining the order was Hamilton, Bottas, Verstappen,
Leclerc, Sainz, Giovinazzi, Gasly, Perez, George, and Norris. Only
Verstappen on the medium tyre was not on the soft tyre in the top six. With
twenty three minutes remaining only Tsunoda was running out on the medium.
Drivers would start to return on soft tyres and it would be Leclerc now
second followed by Sainz. In their next soft tyre runs the Williams drivers
were currently 8th and 10th. Simon Roberts says that both drivers felt the
car has better balance. Norris was now fifth followed by Ricciardo and
Raikkonen. The Williams drivers would drop down the order to be 10th and
13th. Norris would go off at Turn 10 taking to the gravel but he was able to
recover and continue.
Ten minutes remaining in the session and Hamilton was still quickest from
Leclerc, Sainz, Bottas, Norris, Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Perez, Verstappen, and
Tsunoda. With the times from other drivers the two Williams cars would dropt
o 15th and 18th. At the front Verstappen would deliver and would set a
1m:17.835 to be 0.235 ahead of Hamilton. Hamilton was second followed by
Leclerc, Sainz, Bottas, Norris, Gasly, Ricciardo, Raikkonen and Perez tenth.
Despite setting early times that looked impressive as others went faster the
Williams drivers would end the session down the order in what were their realistic
positions given their pace. Qualifying is going to be tough.
Nicholas Latifi:
Nicholas would be the first out in the session for Williams running on the
soft tyre. His first lap time was a 1m:20.589 to be ninth. He would drop to
12th. He would improve with a 1m:20.016 now in 13th. He would drop to 17th
despite another run on the soft tyre. Nicholas would come out for another
run still on the soft tyre. Nicholas would seta 1m:19.392 to be 7th. He
would drop to ninth. This would then become 16th as he pitted. In his pit
his time would see him now 18th. As the session drew to a close Nicholas
would return still on the soft tyre. During the session Nicholas would spend
a lot of time on his radio with his engineer discussing his brakes. After a
series of visits to the pits the session would end with Nicholas in 18th.
George Russell:
George would follow his team-mate out also on the soft tyre. A 1m:19.908
from George would see him seventh. Dropping to 10th he would pit after a
three lap run. He would return again on the soft tyre and would set a
1m:19.598 to be ninth. He would pit still in ninth. With twenty minutes
George would return again on the soft tyre. A 1n:19.005 from George would
see him move up to seventh. But he would over time drop to 12th as he pitted
after a six lap run. In the pits he would drop to 15th. With five minutes
remaining George would return on used soft tyres. He would return to his pit
but went straight back out. George would take to the pit lane looking to
carry out practice starts. With the end of the session he would remain 15th. |
