Malaysian GP team-by-team: Williams

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Fifth and seventh on the grid turned into tenth and 12th at the flag in a disappointing weekend for Williams.

Rubens BarrichelloNico Hulkenberg
Qualifying position75
Qualifying time comparison (Q3)1’51.511 (+0.51)1’51.001
Race position1210
Average race lap1’43.096 (+1.278)1’41.818
Laps55/5656/56
Pit stops21
Malaysian Grand Prix lap times - Williams (click to enlarge)

Rubens Barrichello

A bad start – not unlike some of his dreadful 2009 getaways – saw Barrichello plunge from seventh to 22nd. The team gambled on a very early pit stop to make up places, bringing him in on lap seven, but that only got him as far as 12th before he had to make a second pit stop.

Barrichello said he “[didn’t] know what happened at the start,” and added, “our car was just not competitive. We lost a nice opportunity today.”

Compare Rubens Barrichello’s form against his team mate in 2010

Nico Hulkenberg

After out-qualifying his team mate for the first time, by half a second, Hulkenberg lost two places at the start with too much wheel spin.

An electrical problem meant he had to have his steering wheel replaced at his first pit stop, which prevented him from altering the mixtures on his engine. That dropped him behind the rising Ferraris and Jenson Button, and he lost a further place when he was overtaken by Jaime Alguersuari.

Compare Nico Hulkenberg’s form against his team mate in 2010

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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14 comments on “Malaysian GP team-by-team: Williams”

  1. Yet another race with Barichello standing still at the start. I seriously don’t know what go on with that guy.

  2. I remember hearing on twitter during the race he failed to get off the starting position due to ”overheated clutch”.

    1. Not exactly his fault then was it? although starts have never really treated him well have they?

  3. somebody knows what’s the problem with these 2 guys? i think barrichello can develop the car, and probably hulkenberg at the end of the season show us what paste is done… as u can see, the chart shows the fastest laps between laps 12 and 42..hulkenberg is so fast, if he knows the track he squeeze his machine… he won gpasia series, china is the next! come on hulk!!! barrichello probably will teach u how to set up, but u’ll teach he how to win!

    1. Hülkenberg won GP2 main series, not asian one. He did compete in one GP2 Asia event and scored a victory though.
      I have confidence in him that he will improve over the season, especialy when he’ll race on tracks where he has raced before.

      1. Well he was already consistently faster than Rubens in this race. In the rain that’s not too surprising, Hülkenberg is a superb raindriver and a remarkable talent. I wonder wether him beating Barrichello was a fling or the start of him dominating the Brazilian as he dominated pretty much everyone his carreer so far? Interesting. It is a shame that the Williams has a fundamental lack of pace. Barrichello and Hülkenberg did get some points but the’re a lot further behind the top teams than I expected based on the testresults.

        1. i think williams is fighting for points… but hulk battle is so different, he trying to do his best… and why not,to attract attention!! alonso in minardi, vettel in STR…

      2. my fault about asia series!

  4. Interesting Hulkenberg was consistantly faster in the race

  5. This is a great series of analysis Keith, fantastic!

    Have to say this is the most interesting, Nico showing himself to be both faster and much more consistent than RB.

  6. The clutch problem explains Barricellos trouble in getting away from the grid, the extra pitstop was a mistake. He got from last to 12th, so not to bad.

    The Hulk is getting into it. OK, spinning his wheels at the start = rookie mistake, but further positions lost because of the problem with his steering wheel is not so much his mistake. Looking forward to seeing more from him.

    1. He got from last to 12th, so not to bad.

      Ahead of Alonso (who had retired), di Grassi’s Virgin, the HRTs and a Lotus. He was last of the established teams’ cars still running.

  7. What happened at the end of the race with Rubens laptimes?

    Does anybody know why Hulkenberg was wearing Rubens helmet in Q3?

  8. US Williams Fan
    8th April 2010, 8:35

    I hope they both pick up the pace! sure, they have a new engine ……. but they have an established team! I hope to see one of these guys on the podium in China!

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