Saturday: The Williams drivers could have done even better
Pastor Maldonado and Valtteri Bottas both made it to Q2 today in Abu Dhabi, but they had to settle for 15th and 16th on the grid. The Williams drivers thought it was possible to do better, but they were unable to, mainly due to traffic.
Pastor Maldonado – 16th and 15th [14th on the grid]:
I was strong in Q1 but in Q2, I suffered from traffic and was unable to do a good lap, and the cars that crossed the line after me benefited from more rubber on the track. We brought new updates this weekend and the car is more consistent which should help us in the race tomorrow, and overall, I feel we have made a step forward which is positive.
Valtteri Bottas – 13th and 16th [15th on the grid]:
I expected that we could fight for a place in Q3, so I am a bit disappointed. With the improving track conditions, our rivals’ lap times were dropping, but we weren’t really able to capitalize on this extra grip. I was also hindered by traffic during my last stint, which cost me a few tenths. It’s not the best starting position for the race, but we know that on this track we can be strong on long stints, so I expect to be able to move up tomorrow.
