Azerbaijan GP: Mixed race for Williams Racing

The grid for the fifty one lap 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix would see the Williams Racing Team drivers start from 17th and 18th with Alex Albon starting ahead of team-mate Nicholas Latifi. The pair would start on the a split strategy with Alex on the medium and Nicholas the hard tyres. On pole would be Leclerc from Perez and Verstappen. Fourth was Sainz followed by Russell, Gasly, Hamilton, Tsunoda, Vettel and Alonso tenth. Of these drivers they all would use the medium tyre for the start . Outside the top ten the tyres in use would be the medium for Norris, Zhou, Magnussen, Alex and the likes of Ricciardo, Ocon, Bottas, Nicholas, Stroll and Schumacher on the hard. Quite a few teams were running split strategies for the race.

The grid would complete the parade lap and with the start it would be Leclerc leading but we would see Perez take the lead at Turn one. Verstappen was third while for Williams their cars were 16th and 19th. Nicholas was under investigation for something that took place on the grid while Alex would improve to be 15th and ahead of Bottas. Russell was fifth followed by Gasly, Hamilton, Vettel, Tsunoda and Alonso tenth. Nicholas would receive a ten second stop and go penalty for a grid infringement when a mechanic was to be seen working on his car after the cut off time. Lap six and Nicholas would pit taking the penalty.

At the front Perez had extended his lead out to 2.4s over Leclerc and Verstappen. Alex would be passed by Magnussen for 15th seeing the Williams cars 16th and 20th. On lap ten Sainz would go off into the run off area with what he reported as a Brake by Wire failure ending his race. This would see Russell now fourth followed by Gasly, Hamilton, Vettel, Tsunoda, Alonso and Norris. This would see a VSC and it would see a rush of drivers come in including Leclerc, Russell, Gasly, Vettel, Hamilton, and just about the rest of the field except for Latifi who had pitted earlier. This would see the order now Perez from Verstappen, Leclerc, Russell, Alonso, Norris, Ricciardo, Gasly, Ocon and Vettel tenth.

The Williams drivers were now 17th and 19th with Alex having changed to the hard tyre. On lap fourteen Vettel would go off into the run off area trying to pass Alonso seeing the Aston Martin drop to 12th. At the front Verstappen was closing the gap to Perez and he would pass him at Turn one taking the lead in the race. Perez was now second from Leclerc, Russell, Alonso, Norris, Ricciardo, Gasly, Ocon and Hamilton tenth. The Williams drivers continued to run in 17th and 19th. Perez would pit on lap eighteen changing to the hard tyre. Sainz was to have a hydraulic issue which caused his issue and retirement.

Hamilton would pass Ocon for ninth as Verstappen pitted on lap twenty taking on the hard tyre. This would see Leclerc leading but on hard tyres that are nine laps old. Alonso would also pit changing to the hard tyre and dropping to 16th. Nicholas would also pit changing to the hard tyre. But the race would totally change as Leclerc would retire with an engine failure with smoke pouring out of his car. He would get his car back to his pit. Norris had pitted changing to the hard dropping to 16th. This would see Alex now 15th and Nicholas 19th.

Lap twenty two and the order was Verstappen, Perez, Russell, Gasly, Ricciardo, Hamilton, Tsunoda, Ocon, Vettel, and Zhou tenth. Ricciardo was yet to stop having started on the hard. But Zhou was told to pit with a technical issue seeing Bottas now 12th followed by Stroll, Alex, Norris, Schumacher and Nicholas who had gone a lap down. Hamilton was now fifth having passed Ricciardo. Alonso would pass Ocon using DRS on lap twenty eight. Norris would pass Alex for 14th seeing the Williams pair now 15th and 17th. Stroll would pit on lap thirty three dropping to 15th seeing Alex now 14th. Then on lap thirty four Magnussen would retire out on the track with another Ferrari engine issue. the VSC would be deployed seeing the top three all pit and the Williams pair were now 13th and 16th.

Hamilton, Ricciardo, and Ocon would also pit followed by Bottas Alex had also previously pitted again taking on new hard tyres. In front of Alex were Ocon and Bottas both on the medium tyre. The top three were all now on new hard tyres as on lap thirty six the VSC was withdrawn. The top ten was Verstappen, Perez, Russell, Gasly, Hamilton, Tsunoda, Vettel, Alonso, Ricciardo and Norris tenth. The Williams pair were now 13th and 16th. Tsunoda would have an issue with his DRS been broken been told to pit. he would come in an the team would tape his DRS and tell him not to use it. Verstappen was told not to use his DRS as well.

With Tsunoda's stop Alex was now 12th with forty two laps completed. Verstappen was comfortably leading the race from Perez, Russell, Hamilton, Gasly, Vettel, Alonso, Ricciardo, Norris and Ocon tenth. Nicholas would receive a five second penalty for ignoring blue flags. Not that it mattered given he was last and a lap down. Stroll would pit from 15th to retire. This would see the Williams pair now 12th and 15th. the final laps would count down and it would be Verstappen taking victory from Perez and Russell. Fourth would be Hamilton followed by Gasly, Vettel, Alonso, Ricciardo, Norris, and Ocon in tenth for the final point. For Williams their race would see Alex and Nicholas finish in 12th and 15th. Certainly was a mixed race starting with Nicholas's penalty then to not really gain anything significant from the VSC and other drivers issues. Certainly pleasing to see both cars make it to the finish but still realistically off the pace to score any points.