Qualifying for the Williams team was going to be a difficult time after having struggled in the final practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix. The opening twenty minute period of qualifying would get underway with Sutil first out on the track. He was joined by Fisichella and Kovalainen. Heidfeld and Piquet were also out on the track. Sutil would go fastest with a 1m:23.544 while
Kovalainen was second and Fisichella third. Kovalainen was on the harder tyre which would take a few laps to warm up. Sutil was on the softer tyre. Both of the Force India cars would pit. Piquet was now third with a 1m:23.740.

Heidfeld's first lap would see him fastest with a 1m:23.375. Several other drivers had taken to the track including both Toyota's. Kovalainen was now fastest with a 1m:23.095 but was quickly beaten by Piquet with a time of 1m:22.852. Heidfeld would improve to be fastest with a 1m:22.657. But Trulli and Glock would take the top spots, Trulli fastest with a 1m:22.369. Trulli was on the harder tyre. Nico was out on the track for his first run with twelve minutes remaining. Vettel's first effort was good enough to see him fastest with a 1m:22.192 but Glock would respond with a 1m:22.185 to take first place.

Buemi was now second, 1m:22.055, but Raikkonen would move ahead of him with a 1m:21.646. Vettel was still fastest but Bourdais was now second. Kazuki was also out on the track with ten minutes left in the period. Buemi would go fastest and Nico second but Vettel would improve to return to the top of the times, 1m:20.715. Massa was now second, 1m:20.759. Nico and Massa were on the softer tyre. Nico would pit while Button moved into fourth, 1m:21.350. On his first lap Kazuki went third fastest with a 1m:21.030. Hamilton was now fourth while Nico had dropped down to eighth. Raikkonen was now sixth, 1m:21.291. Using the soft tyres to good effect Massa went fastest with a 1m:20.484.

Like Massa Kubica was on the soft tyre and would move up to fourth with a 1m:21.152. Kazuki was able to get some time out of his car on his next lap, 1m:20.818, but remained third. Nico was still in his pit with five minutes left. Heidfeld was now slowest, 1m:22.657. Of the top ten only Kubica was still on the track. Massa was fastest from Vettel, Kazuki, Kubica, Hamilton, Buemi, Raikkonen, Button, Webber, and in tenth Nico. Nico was back out for his final run while Heidfeld was able to move up to eleventh. Kazuki was back out while Alonso improved from eighteenth to fifth, 1m:21.186. Glock was now fourth, 1m:20.958 pushing Alonso down one place.

On the softer tyre Nico was able to set a quicker time that would see him fifth, 1m:20.988. But with Webber moving into second and Button third Nico would drop to ninth. But on his next lap he would move up to fifth, 1m:20.745. Barrichello was sixth followed by Kazuki, Glock, Kubica, and Hamilton. With the end of the period those not making the cut were Raikkonen, Bourdais, Kovalainen, Sutil, and Fisichella. The top ten was Massa from Webber, Button, Vettel, Nico, Barrichello, Kazuki, Glock, Kubica, and Hamilton. Certainly an improved performance from both Williams drivers.

With both Williams drivers making it into the second period it would commence. Nico was told by his engineer when he had to make up time. Both Williams drivers would leave the pit lane early in the period. They were on the softer tyre as one would expect everyone to run in this fifteen minute period. Ten minutes remaining and only the BMW's had yet to take to the track. Kazuki's first lap was a slow 1m:27.036. Nico was fastest with a 1m:21.145. Buemi was second but was passed by Piquet. Vettel was now fastest with a 1m:20.220. Barrichello and Trulli were now second and third.

Kazuki would pick up his pace and move into third with a 1m:20.647. But it would be Webber who would go fastest with a 1m:20.007. Kazuki was now fourth and Nico ninth. Buemi had spun at Turn nine taking to the gravel. Kazuki would pit with just over seven minutes left. So we had a Red Bull one-two with Barrichello third. Massa was slowest with a 1m:23.566. Alonso was fifth and Trulli sixth. Massa would improve with a 1m:20.652 moving up to sixth running on the softer tyre. Nico would pit currently eleventh. Both BMW's were out on the track as most other drivers pitted.

Heidfeld was seventh on his first lap and Kubica third. Nico was now thirteenth and in danger of not making the cut. Nico was back out joined by Kazuki. Fourth placed Barrichello was also back out on the track. The top three were still in their pits with two minutes remaining. Massa was on a better lap as was Buemi. Massa would move into second with a 1m:20.149. Kazuki was in ffith with a 1m:20.531. Nico had not improved on his first lap remaining in fourteenth. Hamilton would move up to tenth. Barrichello would put in a very quick lap to go fastest with a 1m:19.954. On his next lap Nico would move into sixth, 1m:20.256. Kazuki was now eleventh.

Glock was now third as the period came to an end. Button was in fifth while Nico had dropped to seventh. Those not making the cut were Kazuki, Piquet, Heidfeld, Hamilton, and Buemi. The top ten was Barrichello, Webber, Glock, Massa, Button, Vettel, Nico, Kubica, Trulli, and Alonso. Kazuki only failed to make it into the final period by the smallest of margins. At one time it looked like the positions would be reversed with Nico not making the cut.

Period three would start with Trulli first out. Nico would also come out early. Barrichello and Glock were also on the track. Only Massa and Alonso had yet to come out with just under seven minutes left. Now all ten were out on the track. Trulli would set the first time with a 1m:22.588 but was beaten by Glock with a 1m:21.198. Barrichello was now fastest with a 1m:21.442. Nico was fourth with a 1m:23.002. Webber was now second, 1m:21.936, as Barrichello pitted.

Vettel was on a quick lap moving to the top of the times with a 1m:21.301. Button was now third, 1m:21.627. Massa was fifth followed by Alonso and Glock. Nico was down in tenth. They would start to pit to take on a new set of soft tyres for their final run. Barrichello was fastest in sector one with everyone back out on the track. Rubens would return to the top of the times with a 1m:20.762. Nico would set a personal best time in sectors one and two. His lap would only see him improve to ninth. At the front Vettel was able to move past Barrichello with a 1m:20.660. Massa was now third with Webber fourth, Glock fifth followed by Trulli, Alonso, Nico, and Kubica.

But it would be Button who would complete his final lap last and he would move ahead of Vettel with a 1m:20.527 to take pole for the 2009 Spanish Grand Prix. Nico's final lap time was a 1m:22.558. This would see him over two seconds slower than the quickest time. He must be fuelled quite heavily for the race. Does this mean that the Williams team has gone for a conservative strategy. It would be interesting to see the weights of the cars.