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Williams inside top ten after Singapore Qualifying

Nico Rosberg
By Andrew Hooper September 27 2008
The AT&T Williams team would see both their drivers finish inside the top ten after qualifying for the 2008 Singapore GP. Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima would finish in 9th and 10th positions, with Kazuki making it into the final period of qualifying. Sunday's race will see both drivers in with a good chance of securing a points result, something that is needed as the season draws to a close.
 
 Singapore GP Qualifying
 

AT&T Williams drivers Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima finishing the final practice session for the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix in fifth and twelfth. The new circuit was still causing a few problems for the drivers with many taking to the escape roads and for Fisichella he would be launched into the barriers at the Turn ten chicane. The opening twenty minute period was underway with Sutil and Glock first out. Kazuki would also come out joined by Barrichello. Button and Coulthard were also out on the circuit. Raikkonen was also out early. With four minutes of the session run only seven drivers were on the track.

RosbergGlock would go fastest, 1m:45.717, and Sutil second, 1m:48.942. Massa and Kovalainen were also out on the track. Barrichello was now second, 1m:46.583, but Kazuki would move ahead of him with a 1m:45.764. Raikkonen was on the soft tyre. Coulthard was now fourth, 1m:46.660. There was now a rush of drivers coming out, including Nico, Hamilton, Both BMW's, Kovalainen, and both Torro Rosso cars. Raikkonen was down in sixth, 1m:47.049. The top three including Kazuki had all pitted. Glock was back out after a brief stop. Massa would move into second with a 1m:45.754. Running on the harder tyre Kovalainen was now fastest with a 1m:45.184. Kazuki was back out on the track as Vettel went fastest, 1m:45.042, but Hamilton would move ahead of the Monza winner with a 1m:44.501. Nico would put in a quick lap with a 1m:45.103 to move into third.

Neither of the Renault's had set a time but Alonso was on a quick lap. Nico was on the softer tyre. Hamilton and Vettel would both pit. Alonso would finish his lap in second with a 1m:44.971. Hamilton was also on the softer tyre. Kovalainen was now fifth, 1m:45.184. Kazuki was able to move ahead of the McLaren with a 1m:45.127 to now be in fifth. he was just two one hundredths slower than Nico. Glock would run down the escape road at Turn seven. Nico had pitted. Most of the field were back in the pits with just over six minutes left in the session. Fisichella's car was only just repaired allowing him to take to the track as Kovalainen was on a very quick lap. He would finish with a 1m:44.311 to move to the top of the times. Raikkonen was down in sixteenth.

NakajimaVettel and Nico had both left the pit lane. They were joined by a rush of drivers. Only Hamilton remained in his pit. After setting his quick lap Kovalainen would pit. Raikkonen would move to the top of the times with a 1m:44.282. Kubica was now fourth but this became fifth as Massa moved into fourth, 1m:44.519. Fisichella had gone off at Turn three again losing his front wing as he hit the barrier. Nico and Kazuki were in eighth and ninth. Alonso and Vettel were in sixth and seventh. Raikkonen and Kubica would pit. Massa would also come in joined by Nico and Kazuki. The session had ended and those not making the cut were Piquet, Bourdais, Barrichello, Sutil, and Fisichella.

The top ten was Raikkonen followed by Kovalainen, Hamilton, Massa, Kubica, Alonso, Vettel, Nico, Kazuki, and Glock. In the period Nico would have a moment where he would take to one of the escape roads but was able to continue.

 

NakajimaQ2 would start and there was the first few minutes would see everyone remaining in the pit lane. As we neared the two minute mark Kovalainen would be first out joined by Vettel. Alonso and Raikkonen were also out on the circuit. Massa and both Toyota's were also out of the pit lane. Nico was also out along with Kazuki. Hamilton was on the softer tyre. Only the BMW's had yet to come out. Raikkonen was on the harder tyre. Alonso would have a problem that would see him take to an escape road. He would get out of his car his qualifying over. Vettel was fastest but Raikkonen would move ahead of him with a 1m:44.232. Massa was now fastest with a 1m:44.014. Nico would move into fourth with a 1m:44.831. Webber was fifth followed by Coulthard. Kazuki was down in seventh.

Hamilton had made a mistake at Turn one as Raikkonen and Vettel pitted. Both of the BMW's had taken to the track. Kovalainen would pit swapping from the softer tyre to the hard one. Hamilton would pit without setting a time. Nico and Kazuki had both pitted. Kubica was now fourth with a 1m:44.519. Heidfeld would move ahead of Nico with a 1m:44.654. Nico was now sixth and Kazuki ninth. With four and a half minutes left Hamilton had still yet to set a time. Kubica had pitted as Kovalainen moved up to second with a 1m:44.207. Nico and Kazuki had both come back out, joined by most of the field. Hamilton was on the softer tyre.

RosbergBoth of the Ferrari's and Vettel remained in the pits. Kovalainen had pitted. Hamilton would move into eighth with a 1m:44.932. The period would come to an end but several drivers were on laps. Glock would move up to fifth with a 1m:44.441. Nico would move ahead of him with a 1m:44.429. Kazuki was now ninth with a 1m:44.826. Hamilton would pit currently in tenth. Those not making the cut were Trulli, Button, Webber, Coulthard, and Alonso. The final top ten was Massa followed by Kovalainen, Raikkonen, Vettel, Nico, Glock, Kubica, Heidfeld, Kazuki, and Hamilton.

 

It was a great result to see both AT&T Williams cars making it into the top ten for the final period of qualifying. For Kazuki it was his first time in the final period. With their race fuel onboard Q3 would get underway with Nico coming out early in the ten minute period. Vettel was first out followed by Raikkonen. Kovalainen was last out. Both Vettel and Raikkonen were on the harder tyre. Vettel would set the first time with a 1m:46.614 but Raikkonen would move ahead with a 1m:46.037. Hamilton was now fastest with a 1m:45.638 but Massa would beat him with a 1m:45.491. Nico was down in sixth, 1m:47.011, and Kazuki ninth, 1m:47.959.

FW30Massa was also on the harder tyre as Vettel pitted. Heidfeld and Kubica were now fifth and sixth as Nico pitted. With the first runs completed their would be the normal pit stops by the other drivers. As the final minute counted down Massa was still fastest from Hamilton. Raikkonen was third followed by Vettel. Massa was on a quick lap while Raikkonen moved into second, 1m:45.617. Hamilton was now fastest, 1m:45.465, but Massa had yet to complete his lap. He would cross the line with a 1m:44.801 to take pole for the Singapore Grand Prix. Nico would finish in ninth, 1m:46.611, and Kazuki tenth, 1m:47.547. Kubica moved into fourth while Kovalainen moved up to fifth. Heidfeld was in sixth pushing Vettel down to seventh. Glock was eighth.

For the Williams team the result may not have being as good as they may have hoped for with Nico and Kazuki starting from ninth and tenth but it would all come down to the strategy that the teams has chosen for Sunday's race.

 

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