Sakhir GP: Disappointing race for Williams Racing

The grid for the eighty seven lap 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix would se the Williams racing drivers Nicholas Latifi and Jack Aitken start from 16th and 17th. They had moved ahead one place as a result of Norris receiving engine penalties and dropping to 19th. One pole would be Bottas from Russell, Verstappen, Leclerc, Perez, Kvyat, Ricciardo, Sainz, Gasly and Stroll in tenth. Of the top both Mercedes would start the race on the medium tyre with the rest on the soft. Outside the top ten the Williams would be on the soft and medium tyre with Latifi on the soft. He would be joined by Magnussen, Norris and Fittipaldi also on the soft. Jack was on the medium joined by Ocon, Albon, Vettel and Giovinazzi.

The grid would complete the parade lap and would from up and with the start it would be Bottas leading but Russell would get in front while Perez would get past Bottas but in the nest series of corners there would be a coming together which would see Verstappen and Leclerc both out of the race. Perez had dropped down to 18th while Bottas was able to get back into second. Sainz was now third as we had a Safety Car come out. Replays had shown Leclerc hitting Perez and in the chaos Verstappen would be forced off the track and into the gravel where he would end up in the barrier. For Williams as they ran behind the Safety Car were in 13th and 15th with Nicholas in front of Jack.

The race would restart on lap eight with Sainz getting past Bottas but Bottas would recover to keep second. Norris would pass Vettel for ninth going into Turn one. Perez was making his way back up the order and was now 14th. Jack had dropped to 16th while Perez would pass Nicholas for 13th seeing the Williams 14th and 16th. Aitken would be passed by Raikkonen to be 17th. But Jack would recover to go back into 16th. At the front Russell continued to lead Bottas, Sainz, Ricciardo, Kvyat, Stroll, Gasly, Ocon, Norris, and Albon tenth. Nicholas would pass Magnussen for 13th with Giovinazzi also getting past the Haas. Both Albon and Perez would get past Norris seeing the McLaren forced to pit. The Williams drivers were now 12th and 15th. Jack would say that the rear of his car was not behaving normally making him lose some pace at Turn one and four.

Kvyat would pit on lap twenty nine joined by Nicholas. Nicholas would return in 15th and on the medium. Sainz would also pit joined by Gasly. The pair were now in ninth and 11th. Ricciardo would pit on lap thirty one returning in tenth, Russell was still leading from Bottas, Stroll, Ocon, Perez, Albon, Vettel, Sainz, Kvyat, and Ricciardo tenth. For Williams Jack was now 12th and Nicholas 15th. But Jack would be passed by a recovering Norris for 12th seeing the Williams 13th. Jack would pit on lap thirty four joined by Vettel. Jack was back out on the hard tyre and running in 16th. At the front the order was Russell, Bottas, Stroll, Ocon, Perez, Albon, Sainz, Kvyat, Ricciardo and Gasly tenth. Ocon would pit on lap forty four and returned in tenth. Stroll who was still on the soft tyre would pit the following lap and would return in ninth now on the medium tyre.

Ocon would be able to pass Stroll to now be ninth and Stroll tenth. Russell would pit on lap forty seven coming back out on the hard tyre now in second. Russell would come onto his radio saying no power and then would receive instructions from his engineer to rectify the issue. Perez and Albon would pit on lap forty nine returning in ninth and 11th. Both drivers had taken on the hard tyre. Sainz was now in third followed by Kvyat, Ricciardo, Gasly, Ocon, and Stroll eighth. Bottas would pit on lap fifty one taking on the hard tyre. Russell would return to the lead with Bottas second. Gasly would pit on lap fifty three dropping to 12th in what was his second stop. Albon would ass Norris for ninth as the Williams drivers continued to run in 13th and 16th. Kvyat was in the pits returning in tenth on the hard tyre.

For Williams their race would go wrong when Nicholas would retire at the side of the track. This would see the Virtual Safety Car been deployed briefly but it would see a rush of drivers coming into for pit stops. Jack had come into take on the medium tyre seeing him now 15th. Perez was able to recover to get past Ocon and now be in third. Ocon was now fourth followed by Stroll, Albon, Sainz, Ricciardo, Kvyat, and Gasly tenth. Lap sixty one and Russell was still leading Bottas by 4.9s with Bottas coming back at Russell. But all of a sudden Jack would pit with no front wing after having spun at the final corner with his front wing hitting the barrier. With the front wing still on the track the Safety Car would be deployed. This would see Both Mercedes pit but there would be a mistake with Russell taking on some of Botta's tyres. Russell would be forced to pit again to fix the issue..

For Williams Jack was back out this time on the soft tyre and running in 17th. With all the confusion from Mercedes Perez was now leading. Ocon was now second followed by Stroll, Bottas, Russell, Sainz, Ricciardo, Kvyat, Gasly and Albon tenth. With the end of the Safety Car Perez would quickly build up an advantage. Russell would pass Bottas for fourth and would close in onto third placed Stroll. He would get past Stroll and then would close and pass second placed Ocon. But it would go wrong fro Russell when he was forced to pit with a puncture dropping to 15th. This would see Perez still leading with Ocon now second followed by Stroll. Sainz was now fourth followed by Ricciardo, Albon, Kvyat, Bottas, Gasly and Norris tenth. Bottas had dropped down the order after having been passed by Russell. Russell was also under investigation for an issue with the tyres that were fitted in their Safety Car pit stop.

As the final laps counted down Jack would get past Fittipaldi for 16th. Russell would move up to be tenth but this might end in nothing with the investigation hanging over him. But with the end of the race it would be Perez who would take his first victory in F1. Ocon was second followed by Stroll, Sainz, Ricciardo, Albon, Kvyat, Bottas, Russell ninth and Norris in tenth. For Williams Jack would finish in 16th in what was another race of what might have been for Williams.