Spanish GP: Williams Racing struggle with various issues

The grid for the sixty six lap 2022 Spanish Grand Prix would see the Williams Racing Team drivers staring from 18th and 19th with Alex Albon ahead of team-mate Nicholas Latifi. Both drivers would start the race on the soft tyres. At the front of the grid it was Leclerc on pole from Verstappen, Sainz, Russell, Perez, Hamilton, Bottas, Magnussen, Ricciardo and Schumacher tenth. The breakup of tyres across the remaining cars would see everyone on the soft tyre except Hamilton who was on the medium.

The parade lap would be completed and with the start it would be Leclerc leading from Verstappen. Alex would move up to 16th while Nicholas was 19th as we saw Magnussen go off into the gravel as Hamilton suffered a puncture seeing him forced to pity. Magnussen had made contact with the Mercedes with the Mercedes pitting. Russell was in third followed by Perez, Sainz, and Schumacher sixth. The Williams pair were now running 17th and 18th with four laps completed. Bottas would pass Schumacher for sixth with the McLaren's ninth and tenth.

Leclerc continued to lead from Verstappen and Russell with seven laps completed. But the race would go wrong for Sainz as he went off into the gravel returning to the track down in 11th. Sainz would spin on his own while Perez was closing in onto Russell. More would happen as Verstappen also went off dropping to fourth seeing Russell now second. Perez was third followed by Verstappen, Bottas, and Ocon sixth. The Williams pair continued to run in 17th and 18th. Drivers would start to pit including Sainz, Alonso, Gasly and Zhou. This would see the Williams pair now 13th and 14th but on lap thirteen Alex would pit seeing Nicholas now 11th as Tsunoda and Ricciardo also pitted.

Alex would return on the medium down in 19th while on lap fourteen Nicholas would pit coming out just behind his team-mate with the pair 18th and 19th. Russell and Verstappen would not pit joined by Ocon on lap fifteen. The order was now Leclerc, Perez, Russell, Verstappen, Vettel, and Ocon. Alex would move into 17th with Stroll now splitting the Williams pair. But Stroll would move ahead seeing Alex and Nicholas now 18th and 19th. Perez would pit on lap nineteen seeing Russell second followed by Verstappen with Perez returning in fourth. Leclerc would finally pit on lap twenty three seeing him return in the lead. For Williams Nicholas was running faster than Alex and on lap twenty three he would pass his team-mate. Hamilton would pit on lap twenty four changing to the medium now 19th. The Williams pair were now 17th and 18th.

But Hamilton would pass both Williams cars seeing them again 18th and 19th. At the front the order was Leclerc from Russell, Verstappen, Perez, Bottas, Sainz, Ocon, Norris, Tsunoda, and Alonso tenth. But Leclerc would lose power seeing him forced to pit to retire seeing Russell now leading from Verstappen. Both Williams cars had pitted changing to the soft tyre and were now in 19th and 20th. Verstappen would pit for the second time on lap thirty taking on the soft tyre. Perez was now second followed by Bottas. Zhou then followed by Gasly would pit with Zhou retiring. The Williams pair were now 16th and 17th with Nicholas still ahead of Alex. Verstappen would move up to third as Sainz pitted from fifth. Alonso and Ricciardo also came in as Perez now led the race from Russell and Verstappen.

Russell would pit on lap thirty eight dropping to third seeing Perez leading from Verstappen but Perez would pit the next lap seeing Verstappen leading from Perez. Lap forty six and Perez was again leading from Verstappen after a Verstappen pit stop while Russell was third followed by Bottas, Hamilton, Ocon, Sainz, Norris, Alonso and Tsunoda tenth. The Williams drivers were in 16th and 18th still on their soft tyre. Albon would pit on lap forty nine changing to the medium remaining 18th. Nicholas was now 15th as Stroll pitted. But he would pit on lap fifty four dropping to 17th. Perez in second would pit on lap fifty five seeing the order now Verstappen, Perez, Russell, Bottas, Sainz, Hamilton, Ocon, Norris, Schumacher and Alonso tenth.

Albon would pit again seeing him now two laps down still on the soft tyre. Lap sixty and the order was Verstappen from Perez, Russell, Hamilton, Sainz, Bottas, Ocon, Norris, Alonso, and Tsunoda tenth. The Williams drivers were still way down the order coming last. But Nicholas would pass Magnussen to be 16th. But Sainz would get past Hamilton for fourth with Hamilton having an issue. Verstappen would complete the final lap to take victory from Perez and Russell. Sainz was fourth followed by Hamilton, Bottas, Ocon, Norris, Alonso and Tsunoda remaining in tenth. For Williams they would finish in 16th and 18th with Nicholas ahead of Alex for the first time in the 2022 season. A tough race for both Williams drivers having to deal with a car at the Spanish circuit really struggled. It was later confirmed that Alex had suffered floor damage explaining his loss of pace.