Williams: Massa performs, Bottas in distress
Presented as the second strongest team alongside Ferrari after winter testing, the Williams team confirmed their performance with a good qualifying session in Melbourne. However, Valtteri Bottas was taken to the hospital due to back pain.

Since the start of the weekend, Felipe Massa has established himself as “the best of the rest” at the end of a qualifying session dominated by Mercedes. A satisfying performance for the Brazilian, who is now expecting more.
« Mercedes has been ahead since the beginning of the weekend, so we knew we would be fighting to be the best of the rest, » explains Massa. « Qualifying third means we got the best out of the car, especially when analyzing Ferrari’s strong performance. They are really pushing hard. It will be a great duel tomorrow, so we’ll need to have a good start and find the right strategy to secure a podium and start the season on a high note. »
For his part, Valtteri Bottas had a more eventful session. The Finn felt a slight pain in his back. He was transported to the hospital to undergo a series of examinations and to receive authorization or not to participate in tomorrow’s Grand Prix.
« It’s nice to finally start the season and take part in a competitive qualifying session, » notes Bottas. « The car is behaving well and we’re battling with Ferrari. Unfortunately, at the end of Q2, I started to feel some back pain. In these circumstances, I’m happy with sixth place, but as Felipe has proven, it’s not a good indication of our pace. »