Italian GP: Surprising qualifying for Williams Racing


By Andrew Hooper
September 10 2022

After having just a single practice session Nyck de Vries, replacing Alex Albon, would join Nicholas Latifi for qualifying for the 2022 Italian GP. For Nyck it was very much a case of being thrown into the deep end and in what was a surprising result given his very limited time in the FW44 Nyck would finish the session in 13th several places ahead of Nicholas who was in 16th. It was surprising as the expectation was that both Williams cars would finish well down the order. Nicholas was able to improve from his practice resuklts and for Nyck it was a fantastic effort. With the grid penalties of other drivers Nyck and Nicholas will start Sundays race from 8th and 10th.

 
 Williams Racing Italian GP Qualifying
 
Latifi
 

Team Summary:
For the Williams Racing Team we would see Nicholas Latifi and replacement driver Nyck de Vries finish in 13th and 14th in the final practice session prior to qualifying. A promising lead-up for the team as the opening eighteen minute period commenced. Stroll would be first out joined by both Haas cars and Tsunoda with all using the soft tyre. The second Aston Martin of Vettel was now running as Stroll set a 1m:24.231 as both Red Bull cars took to the track joined by both Williams cars and several others. Tsunoda was now quickest with a 1m:22.762 from Magnussen and Vettel. Perez was now quickest with a 1m:22.085 but Verstappen would move ahead with a time of 1m:22.023.

The Williams pair were briefly fourth and fifth as Leclerc went quickest with a 1m:21.280 followed by Sainz and Russell. Verstappen was fourth followed by Perez, Norris, Hamilton, Tsunoda, Nicholas and Nyck. The Williams pair would improve to be eighth and ninth but they would drop down to be 12th & 13th. The track would empty with the order now Verstappen from Leclerc, Sainz, Perez, Russell, Tsunoda, Alonso, Norris, Ocon and Hamilton tenth with the Williams pair 12th and 13th. With two and a half minutes remaining drivers would start to return including both Williams cars. Magnussen had improved to be 11th but is time was deleted seeing him 16th. After their second flying laps both Williams cars would have issues one with a deleted lap time and the other with a breaking issue seeing one car end in 15th and the other 0.020 behind in 16th.

 
De Vries
 

With one Williams car into Q2 that of Nyck de Vries as the drivers returned to start their flying laps. Sainz was quickest with a 1m:20.878 followed by Verstappen, Perez, Hamilton, Russell, Alonso, Gasly, Ocon, Norris and Bottas tenth. The remaining Williams was 12th as Leclerc was now second seeing the Williams pushed down from 11th. The track would empty as drivers prepared for their second runs. Everyone outside the top four except Tsunoda were back out. The Williams would fail to improve after a mistake seeing the car finish in 13th. The top ten was Sainz, Leclerc, Verstappen, Perez, Hamilton, Russell, Norris, Ricciardo, Alonso and Gasly tenth. The Williams pair would finish qualifying in 13th and 16th but there are several penalties to be applied.

the fianl period of qualifying would see the Ferrari's of Sainz and Leclerc first and second after their first runs but with the second the order would change with Leclerc quickest followed by Verstappen, Sainz, Perez, Hamilton, Russell, Norris, Ricciardo, Gasly and Alonso with no time tenth. But this will change as several drivers were to receive penalties mixing the grid up for Sundays race.

 
Latifi
 

Nyck de Vries:
Nyck would come out early for his first run using the soft tyre and would set a 1m:22.881 to be fifth right behind his team-mate. He would drop to tenth but with a 1m:22.567 he was now eighth. He would drop to 12th as he pitted after a five lap run. Nyck would return for a second run on the soft tyre. Nyck would finish his next flying lap with a 1m:22.176 to be 12th dropping to 14th. But Nyck's quickest lap would be deleted seeing him finish 15th and into Q2, a fantastic effort. Nyck would come out early for his first run in Q2 running behind Verstappen. He would set a 1m:22.471 to be currently ninth dropping to 12th as he pitted after a three lap run. He would get a front wing adjustment and then return for his second run. But with a mistake he would run wide under braking and that was his qualifying over. He would finish in 13th but with other drivers penalties will start higher.

Nicholas Latifi:
Nicholas would join his team-mate also out on the soft tyre. Nicholas would set a 1m:22.818 to be fourth. He would drop to ninth but he was able to improve with a 1m:22.587 to now be ninth. He would drop to 13th as he pitted after a five lap run. Nicholas would return but his first lap would not see any improvement dropping to 16th. He would pit seeing his qualifying over. He would complain to his engineer that his car would not stop.

 

de Vries

 

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Italian GP: Surprising qualifying for Williams Racing
Discussion started by Williams F1 , 10/09/2022 16:36
Williams F1
10/09/2022 16:36
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