Saturday: It’s all about strategy at Williams
One might think that Williams missed their qualifications on the eve of the Valencia race. However, it’s important to put things in perspective and not fixate on Nico Rosberg’s 7th place and Kazuki Nakajima’s 17th. After very good last practice sessions with 2nd and 5th fastest times, the drivers from the Grove team faced some […]
One might think that Williams missed their qualifications on the eve of the Valencia race. However, it’s important to put things in perspective and not fixate on Nico Rosberg’s 7th place and Kazuki Nakajima’s 17th. After very good last practice sessions with 2nd and 5th fastest times, the drivers from the Grove team faced some challenges this afternoon.
The Nakajima case is simple, he didn’t make any mistakes but his car has a problem that forced him to stop in Q1. The Rosberg case is much more interesting because despite his 7th place on the grid, he can be confident for tomorrow. He seems to be fuel-loaded, let’s just wait for the cars’ weights tonight, he’s on the clean side of the track and the two McLarens with KERS are far from him. So he has all the cards in hand to progress tomorrow and get closer to a potential podium…
Nico Rosberg – 5th and 7th:
« The qualifications went well. I’m in 7th position with a lot of fuel, maybe more than anyone around me, so I have a solid strategy for the race. There’s no point in trying to qualify around the cars with KERS because they overtake me on the pit straight. I prefer to qualify behind them, have more fuel on board, and then beat them in the race. It’s the only way to score good points tomorrow. »
Kazuki Nakajima – 2nd and 17th:
« We had a problem with my car which caused my retirement in Q1. I didn’t have the chance to show what I was capable of. It’s frustrating because I think we are strong after being in the top ten today. We have good race pace, so I just need to use that and do my best tomorrow. »
Rod Nelson – Chief Engineer
« Today, Kazuki [Nakajima]’s result is disappointing. We are still searching for the problem that immobilized him on the track, but we know it is not a driving error. We are reasonably satisfied with where we are with Nico [Rosberg]. He is on the clean side of the grid, which is a big advantage here. He will have a car next to him but on the dirty side, and I hope we stay ahead of it. We are satisfied with the chosen strategy. »
