Disppointing result for WilliamsF1 at Silverstone

Nico in twelfth
By Andrew Hooper
June 10 2006

It would be a disppointing result for the WilliamsF1 team after qualfying for the British GP at Silverstone. Mark would finish down in seventeenth while Nico fared only slightly better been in twelfth. It has been a difficult weekend for the team and tomorrrow's race does not look any bettter.

British GP Qualifying

With Mark Webber and Nico Rosberg finishing the final practice session for the 2006 British Grand Prix in seventeenth and eighteenth the upcoming qualifying session looked to be a difficult one for the team. The opening fifteen minute period of qualifying would see Albers come out first followed by Montagny, Alonso, Heidfeld, Sato, and Ralf Schumacher. The second Toyota of Trulli was also out on the track. Coulthard would also make an appearance. Monteiro and Speed were also out early in the session. Liuzzi would join his Torro Rosso team-mate.

Webber Albers would set the first time, 1m:24.372, followed by Heidfeld, 1m:25.997. Alonso would go fastest with a 1m:23.511. Sato and Montagny weer in fourth and fifth. Klien and Raikkonen were now on the track. Coulthard was now in second with a 1m:23.892. Scott Speed was now fastest with a 1m:23.202. Monteiro was in fourth. Button was on the circuit. Trulli would return to his pit where his car would be pushed back with fumes coming from the rear of the car. Trulli appeared to be out for the rest of qualifying.

Klien was now in third and Raikkonen fourth. Both Ferrari's and Montoya were out leaving just four cars left to run. Nico was now out while Button would move into second, 1m:23.247. The second Honda of Barrichello would go fastest, 1m:22.965, while Mark was now out on the circuit. Massa was now fastest, 1m:21.647, with Albers in fifth. Mark and Nico had yet to set a time with just over four minutes remaining. Nico's first timed lap would see him in fifth, 1m:23.083 but Montoya would push him down one place when the McLaren driver moved into fourth. Mark was in eighth, 1m:23129. Villeneuve would jump into second with a 1m:21.637. Nico and Mark were now in tenth and eleventh. Liuzzi would move into ninth pushing the WilliamsF1 drivers one place further down the times.

While this was going on Alonso had moved to the top of the times with a 1m:21.018. Team-mate Fisichella was in eighth. Button was down in seventeenth and looking not to make the cut. Nico and Mark wee now in sixteenth and seventeenth. Mark would not make it through the first period of qualifying, what a disaster. It would be unlikely that Nico will make it past the second period of qualifying been down in sixteenth.

So the drivers not to make the cut were Mark Webber followed by Albers, Button, Sato, Montagny, and Trulli.

With only Nico Rosberg just making it through into the second period of qualifying the next fifteen minute period would get under way with Ralf Schumacher and Villeneuve first out of the pit lane. Nico and Heidfeld would also come out joined by Klien. The second Red Bull of Coulthard was also out on the track. Both Renault's were now out joined by Raikkonen and Barrichello. Villeneuve would go fastest with a 1m:20.672 followed by Heidfeld with a 1m:20.943. Ralf was third followed by Nico who set a time of 1m:21.809.

Rosberg

Klien was in fifth with a 1m:21.990. Coulthard would move into third, 1m:21.442, but Alonso would push everyone down the order when he went fastest with a 1m:20.271. Fisichella was now in second, 1m:20.594. Nico was now in eighth and back in his pit. Barrichello would move into fifth pushing Nico down to ninth. Both Ferrari's were out joined by Montoya. Kimi was now in second with a 1m:20.497. Juan Pablo's first lap would see him in fifth with a 1m:20.816. Nico was now in tenth and with both Ferrari's yet to set a time would not make it through to the final period of qualifying.

Michael would move into fourth with a 1m:20.659. Nico was now outside the top ten. Massa was in seventh and Nico was now in twelfth. Speed and Monteiro had yet to set a time with just four minutes remaining. Nico would come back out for a final run but did he leave it too late. Ralf would move into the top ten pushing Coulthard out. Heidfeld would move up into fourth, 1m:20.629. Nico was still in twelfth and out of qualifying. Coulthard would also fail to improve and was also out of the final period. So the six who did not make the cut were Coulthard followed by Nico, Liuzzi, Klien, Speed, and Monteiro.

With the end of the second period of qualifying we were greeted by the sight of no Red Bull, WilliamsF1, Toro Rosso, Midland, Super Aguri cars in the top ten. With the start of the final period there would be a rush of drivers taking to the track with all ten coming out very quickly. As per usual the drivers will drive around on old tyres burning up fuel prior to coming in for new tyres and going for a quick time.

Drivers Debriefing

The first timed lap would go to Alonso with a 1m:23.941 followed by Michael, Massa, Fisichella, Montoya, Raikkonen, Barrichello, Ralf, Heidfeld and Villeneuve. Jacques time was a 1m:26.718. The next lap and it was Michael who was fastest, 1m:23.107, and Alonso still in second. With thirteen minutes remaining the order was Michael from Alonso, Massa, Fisichella, Montoya, Raikkonen, Barrichello, Heidfeld, Ralf, and Villeneuve.
No one had pitted for new tyres but with eleven minutes left Michael would go faster with a 1m:23.054. The Ferrari driver was setting fastest times in the first two sectors and he prepared for his quick laps. Montoya was now in third behind Alonso.

Michael was now in the pits followed by Alonso, Massa, and Fisichella. Montoya and Barrichello would also come in. Raikkonen was now also in for new tyres. Villeneuve was now on a quick lap, fastest in he first two sectors. He would go fastest with a time of 1m:22.353. Michael was now on a quick lap and would take the top spot from Jacques, 1m:20.815. Alonso was in second with a 1m:20.858. Fisichella was now in third followed by Massa, Barrichello, and Montoya. Raikkonen was now in third, 1m:21.296. Villeneuve was now in eighth.

Michael would pit again for his final time. He would be joined by Alonso and Massa. Fisichella, Barrichello, and Montoya were also in. With the drivers all out looking to set a time on their last lap Villeneuve would move into fifth but it would be Alonso who would go fastest with a time of 1m:20.253. Michael was in second followed by Massa and Fisichella. Kimi would move into second on his last lap with a time of 1m:20.397. Michael was in third followed by Massa, Fisichella, Barrichello, Ralf, Montoya, Heidfeld and Villeneuve.

For the WilliamsF1 team Sunday's British Grand Prix will come down to strategy and whether the team can find some pace to allow them to at east score some points in the race.