Strategy blunder saw Vandoorne leapfrog Williams pair

Williams chief technical officer Paddy Lowe says a strategic call to switch Lance Stroll and Felipe Massa for track position enabled McLaren-Honda’s Stoffel Vandoorne to pass the pair and finish ahead of them for seventh place in Malaysia.

After negotiating the opening lap scuffles in which Massa picked up minor floor damage to his Williams due to a collision with Force India’s Esteban Ocon, both Williams cars were well placed in the points heading into the pit stop window during the Malaysia Grand Prix.

Pitting Massa ahead of Stroll saw the Brazilian driver move ahead of his team-mate, much to the Canadian driver’s frustrations having been in front, which prompted the Williams pit wall to get the two drivers to swap position on track.

But during the switch Vandoorne got the jump on both Williams drivers after his pit stop to claim seventh place and shuffle Stroll to eighth and Massa to ninth place.

Despite holding on to a double points finish at Sepang, Lowe conceded it was a missed opportunity for a vital four more points for its F1 world constructors’ challenge.

“Once the race had settled, Nico Hulkenberg stopped very early so we felt obliged to cover him to save position, first with Felipe and then with Lance,” Lowe explained. “Since Lance, who previously had the lead, ended up behind Felipe after the pit stops we felt it was correct to swap the places. We also knew Felipe’s car was carrying some damage.

“Unfortunately, in the execution of that we lost a potential position to Vandoorne coming out of the pits.

“It was a very long second stint for Lance and Felipe, but the tyres lasted well and we held position to finish with good points in eighth and ninth, so congratulations to both drivers for a strong weekend and a double-points finish for the team.”

Despite its strategy blunder Williams has still strengthened its hold on fifth place in the F1 world constructors’ championship with Toro Rosso, Renault and Haas all failing to score at the Sepang International Circuit. Williams has a 13-point advantage over Toro Rosso with five races remaining in 2017.