Williams surprised by Mercedes pace

2014 Russian Grand Prix lap charts

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Having given them a scare in qualifying, Valtteri Bottas was hopeful of taking the fight to Mercedes in the race.

But he wasn’t able to take advantage of Nico Rosberg’s first lap mistake to beat him to second place.

“We went into the race today with the mentality that we were going to fight Mercedes for the win,” said Bottas, “but their pace in the race surprised us a bit and in the end we need to be satisfied with third place and another podium.”

Williams delayed Bottas’s pit stop until his tyres had dropped a long way off, and after pitting he came out of the pits just over a second ahead of Rosberg. But the next time by the Mercedes passed him at the first corner.

“My [medium] tyres were taking a good ten laps to switch on so he would have caught me regardless,” Bottas said, though he tried to catch Rosberg towards the end of the race.

“I was closing in the final laps as my tyres were getting better but he had managed to create too big a gap.”

Russian Grand Prix lap chart

The positions of each driver on every lap. Use the controls below to show/hide different drivers:

https://www.racefans.net/charts/2014drivercolours.csv

01234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950515253
Lewis Hamilton111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
Nico Rosberg262020191817161515141413121211111111119997775444322222222222222222222222
Valtteri Bottas322222222222222222222222222333233333333333333333333333
Jenson Button433333333333333333333349886555544444444444444444444444
Daniil Kvyat58999101010101010999999999121515151514131312121212121212141415151515151414141414141414141414
Daniel Ricciardo61088777777711171716161616151515141414121211988877777777777777777777777
Fernando Alonso744444444444444444444433349777766666666666666666666666
Kimi Raikkonen8111010109999998888888888886667111010101010101010101010999999999999999
Jean-Eric Vergne955688888887777777777778141312121111111111111111111113121213131313131313131313131313
Sebastian Vettel1097766666666666666666665554222488888888888888888888888
Kevin Magnussen1176555555555555555555554433666655555555555555555555555
Sergio Perez12121111111111111111111010101010101010101010101091014141313131313131312121211101010101010101010101010101010
Esteban Gutierrez13131212121212121212121211111113131313131312121211111010999999999991414141515151515151515151515
Adrian Sutil1419171717161617181818181820202020202019191818181818181817171717171717171717161616161616161616161616161616
Romain Grosjean1515141414141414141415161515151515151616161717171717171716161616161616161616171717171717171717171717171717
Marcus Ericsson16161515151515151617171716161717171717171716161616151516181818181818181818181818181919191919191919191919
Nico Hulkenberg171413131313131313131313121314141414141414131313131616151515151515151515151414131312121212121212121212121212
Felipe Massa181721212019181817161615141413121212121211111111109881414141414141413131312111111111111111111111111111111
Kamui Kobayashi19201818182020202020202020191919191919202020
Max Chilton20211919212121212121
Pastor Maldonado2118161616171919191919191918181818181818181919191919191919191919191919191919191919181818181818181818181818

Russian Grand Prix race chart

The gaps between each driver on every lap. Use the controls below to show/hide different drivers:

https://www.racefans.net/charts/2014drivercolours.csv

1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950515253
Lewis Hamilton00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Nico Rosberg5.17929.74830.38630.98133.89334.67136.05137.68938.67539.43340.13140.61141.80242.74143.16243.44844.05244.52145.48845.90946.36546.89246.85746.65946.95245.98141.39319.519.8421.06520.25919.77419.79819.49218.85217.48916.08517.32117.60718.53818.64518.76318.79618.99619.01918.90818.78219.0818.7417.82916.60215.113.657
Valtteri Bottas1.6371.9362.2282.1352.5232.5762.7652.9122.9512.7763.3263.5093.9584.0574.5624.7515.4776.366.8457.9829.3410.9712.50714.0215.87821.73340.00218.35719.1620.59422.14822.41222.38423.19523.32322.64822.77123.35423.41324.09524.14723.58223.96324.34623.89924.00823.88624.18823.12222.64521.19519.92517.425
Jenson Button2.5663.4123.9585.3346.4117.6318.7379.56310.86911.99813.46614.30815.08915.78716.96417.85718.72319.45120.18221.33422.09227.41748.80649.45450.02150.28246.14924.66425.17225.40325.41425.81625.83326.3926.88126.52326.30227.85728.15929.49530.07930.04730.36130.94631.47532.36132.13233.40533.06732.55531.65231.12830.234
Daniil Kvyat6.78210.58412.35515.20919.11720.97922.55424.48626.33427.66929.5830.96332.58534.08235.64137.0539.41840.85642.40348.99973.91675.2576.14777.63178.89879.1875.83555.24755.84256.73457.84659.42860.80263.08867.62969.65478.669101.491104.453105.482105.551105.983105.764106.37106.616106.894107.138107.949107.547106.912106.15105.31
Daniel Ricciardo7.5269.60711.79314.19715.67218.3820.26521.62323.3925.11231.71853.98355.57156.24257.11758.0659.18260.34960.69461.71462.22363.65664.26665.08465.57265.70462.10240.32440.22740.79440.82241.6642.48943.58544.38244.49944.81546.49747.75349.65450.55251.60152.83754.53855.94157.25458.23960.09860.62861.01561.49262.15861.812
Fernando Alonso3.3084.5455.1096.0367.1828.2899.74711.97814.31515.49816.69817.13317.86718.64519.55220.36221.48222.45823.1623.98924.64725.45625.87826.4832.72559.93357.08336.45237.52938.34438.88440.10940.91241.90842.77442.99943.73845.61946.97548.80749.75350.90152.12353.79955.26756.31657.55359.17359.73460.14960.45461.23360.016
Kimi Raikkonen8.11611.19213.07315.55718.05620.03421.73223.83525.46826.92928.80430.13631.85233.31634.77636.04837.7938.87739.78240.99942.08943.42245.05145.5446.37652.74370.28849.31550.04451.20552.04153.93555.12756.9459.19660.89762.65965.70666.8168.769.60970.61471.65572.68573.32774.46875.34276.79777.12177.58277.98578.45678.877
Jean-Eric Vergne5.1517.00411.08214.85517.43719.35321.00222.71224.70126.10328.0928.98130.66232.1133.55534.66935.69536.74137.77339.22440.54742.79248.72672.90774.18974.91471.93651.53652.99654.21455.44157.31358.89160.96262.50663.46364.68169.55471.59774.68578.08580.16881.87983.92485.30687.54289.50792.20994.26795.6295.44298.14197.295
Sebastian Vettel7.1428.75611.42613.26515.01917.82919.33920.63822.1423.32824.86126.18427.29828.45730.09631.67433.16634.10834.95936.13237.338.60739.01439.93941.18541.58738.03117.16918.34824.44447.87849.67550.52751.39952.0552.19152.35253.93854.54656.22857.03757.59758.69560.46261.49962.81963.97666.00566.36266.39767.12966.95166.185
Kevin Magnussen5.6897.63910.12911.14512.64414.08815.29516.39417.75518.60420.09421.62922.59323.75324.74825.40626.11526.46126.78327.30328.63929.5829.92230.08330.7635.57652.16530.5130.89631.57232.21932.83733.62834.76735.67135.5535.85937.38538.54340.57942.16542.77843.6644.66245.80947.0749.151.03551.7652.85252.98853.64953.616
Sergio Perez9.33712.12114.39516.44219.86722.14724.1126.19828.1729.63531.5133.00134.88736.61538.30939.83941.51843.16644.92648.05249.66351.14652.46253.62759.23180.26876.31956.06456.6257.37858.48160.06861.41263.75264.63564.6665.35867.02769.13370.83671.63372.24173.25774.46475.38676.43677.16778.57178.90479.41279.84480.24680.067
Esteban Gutierrez9.8512.58814.96916.91120.34322.92825.38128.08730.97532.98935.30336.86639.48842.16646.04947.87850.12951.68353.16455.10757.03659.22660.89862.27563.82264.8962.98442.84944.09445.39848.84550.89652.82354.89656.75858.37461.64865.13575.35100.558104.011106.849108.625110.838112.636115.294117.344122.256124.453128.173129.905131.188
Adrian Sutil13.43418.21422.38526.50830.54233.79437.8341.75844.99147.8951.36958.32982.4483.85185.57387.38189.38392.58694.81296.84798.6100.429101.887104.716106.465108.035105.45793.0393.7294.72695.62397.22998.715101.085104.519106.208108.117110.337111.534113.61115.09116.117117.807122.217124.523128.805130.765133.851138.421141.118144.186147.689
Romain Grosjean11.68515.11820.7622.99226.07329.18432.04735.137.69740.87445.09347.31849.69151.89154.03556.06858.34261.39763.77570.49393.43496.1798.65100.984104.929107.294104.98887.53989.60491.66793.6395.96898.128100.356102.775105.675107.694112.489115.347118.625122.598124.884128.582131.101133.715137.844140.377143.281145.132146.971148.705150.764
Marcus Ericsson12.41316.35621.4224.67927.91831.10934.72338.90242.70445.62449.29952.04955.0859.04562.17264.74867.82970.6973.2276.17878.78381.43783.37485.40487.80289.80494.06398.596101.571107.046109.269112.475115.318118.348123.049126.973130.98137.616141.185147.126152.217157.608166.758193.588195.663197.993199.867202.24204.895208.191211.371
Nico Hulkenberg10.80813.56516.04118.02421.00223.62527.74230.21932.835.09937.75439.51542.80345.83648.61250.47252.70354.40856.06957.77259.5461.45263.06168.38389.71990.24885.75964.64265.19365.87965.77766.06666.28467.0768.31270.20970.02171.05872.35475.22575.83976.07976.4677.22777.76178.81479.58780.78581.12581.14781.15581.40781.309
Felipe Massa12.94433.433.6633.51635.56636.91138.16939.40140.07841.25342.06242.31343.42344.12445.34645.66946.01846.17146.67648.74350.48352.05953.39654.57856.22257.39659.17558.6658.89758.61759.02860.59661.9364.19865.36665.43665.81167.66469.94671.4872.32372.95173.89775.20976.07277.1777.85679.25279.74380.05280.61480.90380.877
Kamui Kobayashi14.25919.6724.90629.51936.13240.88445.72150.3755.45259.51263.80367.83272.19876.21280.55184.40788.23792.12897.701102.121112.419
Max Chilton14.70120.94426.837.38764.68568.88473.48377.869100.844
Pastor Maldonado13.04717.65221.98526.32533.35938.42942.83847.03650.93154.4558.58662.34766.0669.79374.52878.04582.40586.46589.87993.552101.534125.782128.043132.717136.537137.989135.965116.162117.937119.501120.632124.263128.017131.911134.365135.177137.345142.378143.881147.693150.337151.769153.575155.749161.878163.984165.846170.699172.122173.489174.941178.44

2014 Russian Grand Prix

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Keith Collantine
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14 comments on “Williams surprised by Mercedes pace”

  1. Mercedes could use this car to win the ’15 titles aswell, that is how dominant this car is. You could almost be that harsh and say it’s a small failure they did not win those three races in Canada, Belgium and Hungary. Only Canada was really out of their hands.

    1. @xtwl, Not sure if they could win it, but I agree, they would probably be competitive even with this years car next year. Especially their race-pace is amazing. Hamilton was just chillin’ today.

      1. Hamilton must have saved some engine mileage too. Because he was never pushed too hard. If Rosberg was there with him they tend to put too hard.

        1. I agree, he looked after that engine and gearbox so there should be reduced ware and tare. Might help reliability later in the year.

          1. I was listening to an interview on sky with one of the guys from Mercedes , he said cruising or pushing the engine hard doesn’t really make any difference to the lifespan of the engine .

  2. Lots of teams let the drivers way to long. Bottas time’s are clearly climbing from lap 17, he should have pitted by lap 19. That would have saved him 15 seconds.

    1. It’s fair to say they were cautious after making an error at Singapore. With an earlier stop, Bottas could have tried to hold Rosberg back.

      1. @fastiesty Well, RIC pitted on lap 12 from behind VET and when the latter pitted he was a good 8 seconds behind RIC. So that was the situation with similar cars. I’m pretty sure had Williams brought in Bottas earlier he could’ve hold him off longer but I doubt with the ever lasting tyres he would’ve finished in P2. Rosberg would’ve gotten past sometime somewhere as the Mercedes is just the quicker car. Bottas is the faster driver no doubt, for me.

    2. I was thinking perhaps the Williams wasn’t doing well on the medium tyre as an explanation for Massa’s odd strategy and the overly long stint for Bottas on the softs, but then Bottas actually seemed to perform reasonably well on the mediums.

      Or perhaps Bottas overcooked the tyres trying to hang on to Hamilton in the early phase of the race. Just like he did in qualifying. These tyres are not meant for extracting the maximum out of the car. Even on this track where they did seem to go for quite a lot of laps.

      Either way Williams really need to work on their strategy. They seem to get it wrong way more often than right.

  3. Mr win or lose
    12th October 2014, 23:33

    “Williams surprised by Mercedes pace”
    Actually Hamilton was surprised by Bottas’ pace. However, Bottas’ tyre problems are interesting. Probably he overcooked the tyres in his fist stint and then in the second stint his tyres took very long to get up to temperature. If that’s true, it’s very strange. Apart from that, this race was very similar to most races in 2010, when drivers made an early switch to the rock-solid hard tyre, so probably Bottas should have done the same thing as Ricciardo, who didn’t suffer at all in his very long second stint. Christian Horner was really fascinated by the lack of tyre degradation.

  4. Rosberg’s drive today definitely wasn’t a recovery drive. No one called Vettel’s race in India last year one.

    1. This was sort of a ‘recovery’ drive, he had to come through the field one way or the other in order to finish 2nd.
      And Vettel’s race in India last year was indeed not a recovery drive. He started on pole, never looked back and finish 30sec clear of the rest of the field (and snatched the drivers title by doing so)

  5. We all know that Mercedes is quite easy on fuel use, but is it possible that Mercedes fuelled the cars full, despite expecting a SC?
    The reason for that could be that they had not wanted to be in a position to have to tell either driver to slow down in the case of a race long battle going on, as it would be likely to hurt one of them more than the other? Because even though Rosberg was driving to save his tyres, we never got any indication he was told to save fuel, despite barging through the field.

  6. Lucky for Rosberg the car seemed so far ahead the tyres were not under much pressure. I can’t believe he hasnt come in for more criticism over the incident on the decline corner. It appeared there was a ‘cats chance’ of making the corner , good job the run of area was so obligingly designed .

Comments are closed.