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Team Summary:
After a rain affected Saturday practice qualifying would commence with a dry
track for the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix, but there were clouds at the circuit
and a chance of rain which could see an early dry tyre time as a priority.
There would be a queue at the pit exit all on the soft tyre, with the
Williams cars close to the front of the queue. Rain was expected in a few
minutes with all twenty cars out running. Nicholas would go quickest but
Gasly moved ahead with a 1m:29.499 but Norris was ahead with a 1m:28.079
with the Williams drivers now fifth and sixth.
Such was the rapid change in times that with ten minutes remaining we had
Bottas quickest from Norris, Verstappen, Alonso, Hamilton, and Nicholas
sixth. This would become eighth as the second Williams moved into sixth. But
it would all change as Gasly went fastest with a 1m:25.486 followed by
Alonso, Leclerc, Bottas, Norris, Verstappen, Ocon, George, Ricciardo, and
Hamilton tenth. The second Williams was 11th and running on a new set of
soft tyres. With four minutes remaining Hamilton was now quickest from
Bottas and Gasly. The Williams pair were currently 10th and 12th as the
final minutes of the period started. Verstappen was able to go fastest with
a 1m:25.033 but Hamilton would move ahead with a 1m:24.585. The Williams
pair were 9th and 10th.
Gasly was now in second followed by Bottas, Norris, Alonso, Ocon Perez,
Stroll, Leclerc and Ricciardo tenth. The Williams pair were 13th and 14th
as the period ended. But as the final lap times were set we would see the
Williams pair finish in 11th and 17th so one car was out of qualifying. The
order was Hamilton, Verstappen, Gasly, Leclerc, Perez, Bottas, Norris,
Alonso, Sainz, and Tsunoda tenth.
With the start of the second period there would be quite a few drivers using
the medium. Bottas would set a 1m:24.142 to be quickest from Alonso, Gasly,
Tsunoda, Ocon, Leclerc, Hamilton, Vettel and Norris tenth. Sainz was not
running as he would be starting from the rear of the field with engine
penalties. Hamilton was now quickest with a 1m:23.595 from Verstappen and
Alonso. Leclerc would spin at the final corner ruining his lap as more
drivers were returning on new sets of tyres. With the next set of times the
order would be Hamilton, Bottas, Perez, Verstappen, Alonso, Gasly, Tsunoda,
Stroll, Norris and Ocon with under two minutes remaining. Hamilton had set a
1m:23.082 on his quickest lap and this would see him remain fastest from
Bottas, Verstappen, Gasly, Alonso, Perez, Leclerc, Tsunoda, Stroll and
Norris tenth.
With the final period it would be Hamilton who would go fastest with a
1m:22.868 with Bottas second followed by Verstappen, Leclerc, Gasly, Alonso,
Perez, Norris, Stroll and Tsunoda tenth. But Hamilton would have to take
his ten place grid penalty with an engine component change. So Bottas would
start from the front with Verstappen along side him. For Williams they would
finish qualifying in 13th and 17th. It was very much a session where both
Williams drivers could have been better had it not been for a mistake from
George and for Nicholas not been on the track at the right time. |