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Team Summary:
After an encouraging final practice session the Williams Martini team would
get ready for the opening eighteen minute period of qualifying for the 2017
United States Grand Prix. The first drivers to come out were those of Sauber
and Torro Rosso all on the ultra soft tyre. Next out were the Hass cars
while Hamilton would come out on the super soft tyre. Vettel, Bottas and
Raikkonen would also come out running on the same tyre. Wehrlein had the
initial quickest time with a 1m:37.682 but Vandoorne would go quicker with a
1m:37.184. A 1m:36.425 from Hamilton but Bottas would go even quicker with a
1m:35.309 followed by Ocon and Raikkonen. Ricciardo would go third on the
ultra soft tyre while Sainz was fifth.
Hamilton was able to improve with a 1m:34.822 with Verstappen now second
followed by Bottas, Vettel, Felipe, Raikkonen, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Ocon and
Ricciardo now tenth. The Williams drivers were in fifth and fifteenth. With
under two minutes remaining the top ten were all in their pits. Sainz was
able to improve from eleventh to be fifth pushing Felipe down to sixth. The
top ten was Hamilton, Verstappen, Bottas, Vettel, Sainz, Felipe, Raikkonen,
Alonso, Hulkenberg and Ocon. For the Williams team to lose one car after the
opening period was not the result they would have been looking for
especially after their pace in the final practice session. But it was
reported that Lance had a power deployment issue with his car.
The second fifteen minute period would commence with both Mercedes cars out
on the ultra soft tyre. Hamilton would set a 1m:33.560 to go quickest with
Bottas second with a 1m:33.793. Ricciardo was now third but nearly a second
off Hamilton's time. Verstappen was out on the super soft tyre to be fourth
but Vettel was now third followed by Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Verstappen, Ocon,
Perez, Sainz and Felipe. Hulkenberg was not going back out but he was in
line for grid penalties due to engine changes. Verstappen and Hartley were
also in the same situation. After the first pit stops drivers would return
for their second runs. Hamilton would improve with a 1m:33.437 with Bottas
third followed by Raikkonen, Vettel, Ricciardo, Verstappen, Perez, Sainz,
Alonso, and Ocon in tenth. For Williams it was a disappointing result given
that Felipe had been consistently in the top ten during the practice
sessions. Even Lance was quicker during the practice but failed to deliver
when it mattered.
The final period of qualifying would commence with only Sainz not coming
out. A 1m:33.108 from Hamilton with Bottas second with Vettel now third but
Raikkonen would move ahead with Vettel now fourth followed by Verstappen,
Ricciardo, Ocon, Alonso, nad Perez. Sainz had yet to set a time. The second
runs would commence with Sainz coming out. Last to come out would be Perez.
Hamilton would remain quickest but Vettel would move into second followed by
Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Verstappen, Ocon, Sainz, Alonso and Perez. But
Verstappen will move down the grid due to engine change penalties. For the
Williams team their drivers will be tenth and fourteenth on the grid
assuming that Lance does not receive a penalty from his moment with
Grosjean. |