It was a decent result yet again for Williams at last weekend’s German Grand Prix. Following the problem in qualifying for Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, it was left to the two drivers for the Grove-based team to fight it out for the front row slot alongside Nico Rosberg in the other Mercedes. The race was expected to be a fight between the two drivers and possibly Hamilton’s Mercedes for the podium slots, but one was eliminated almost immediately.
In a race where rain loomed and the temperatures were vastly reduced compared to Friday and Saturday, a three-stop seemed to be the optimal strategy for most. Following a safety car, and a safety car which arguably should have been but wasn’t, only a select few drivers including race winner Rosberg who managed to make two stops work on the day. Williams are arguably still hurting their tyres more than others, but as we saw in the race, perhaps only as much as primary rivals Red Bull and Ferrari. Despite this, Valtteri Bottas made just two pit stops, but the pace advantage may have had an impact in this.
Williams German GP Review
No. 19 Felipe Massa (BRA)
Grid: P3, Race: DNF (Collision – lap 1)
Massa’s race was identical to his one at Silverstone. He started the race, and was involved in a collision with a Nordic driver. Obviously the two situations were different, but here Massa blamed the ‘GP2 drivers’ after he was involved in a collision with Formula Renault 3.5 champion Kevin Magnussen. It was a nasty accident which saw the Brazilian flip over; it is not the first time this season where a car has gone and done just that. Massa wasn’t completely blameless in the accident, but neither was Magnussen. It’s the third time this season that Massa has been eliminated on lap 1. He will be hoping for much better in Hungary, the scene of his life-threatening accident five years ago this week.
No. 77 Valtteri Bottas (FIN)
Grid: P2, Race: P2
Qualifying saw Bottas only a few tenths behind the mighty Mercedes of Rosberg, and the race saw him hold that same position for much of the race. A combination of an excellent defensive drive and extra straight-line speed from the Williams saw Bottas hold off Hamilton at the end, to become the first Williams driver to achieve three podiums in a row since Juan Pablo Montoya in 2003. That performance, like his Silverstone one and his Austria one prior has certainly raised eyebrows in the paddock. Yes the Williams FW35 is arguably the second fastest car, but Bottas is placing it where it should be, just behind the faster Mercedes works cars.
Williams has finally overtaken Ferrari for third in the Constructors’ Championship. They now target Red Bull, which is certainly a realistic target for the team who finished ninth last year. Massa needs to start getting some results in the bag now, with Bottas now challenging Daniel Ricciardo and Fernando Alonso for third in the Drivers’ Championship, which would be a phenomenal achievement for a driver in only his second season at this level.
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