For the AT&T Williams team the lead-up to qualifying for the 2010 Chinese Grand Prix would see both drivers down the order. Rubens and Nico could only manage sixteenth and eighteenth. Bridgestone had their hard and soft tyres available but the softer tyre was only at its best for one lap. The first twenty minute period would commence with both Lotus cars coming out first. Massa was out early joined by Liuzzi, Senna, and the second Ferrari of Alonso. Rubens was to have an engine change between sessions with his Cosworth been down on power. Kovalainen would spin at Turn six with the Lotus running the softer tyre. Rubens was out on the track as Trulli sets the first time with a 1m:40.533.

Kovalainen would pit as Massa went fastest with a 1m:36.997, running on the harder tyre. Liuzzi was now second, 1m:38.822, but Alonso would make this third when he went fastest with a 1m:36.805. Sutil was third from Liuzzi, Trulli, and Senna. Trulli would pit as Kubica moved into second, 1m:36.853. Alguersuari and Buemi were now sixth and seventh and Kobayashi was now sixth. Nico was now out on the track with fourteen minutes remaining. Both Mercedes cars were on the track as Button moved up to second, 1m:36.600. Both Red Bull cars had yet to come out while Alonso had improved with a 1m:36.327 to remain fastest. Rubens was seventeenth with a time of 1m:41.337. Sutil was now third, 1m:36.671, and Schumacher was up to fourth, 1m:36.851. Webber was on the track as Kubica moved back into second, 1m:36.543.Nico was up to eighth with a time of 1m:37.359, while Hamilton would go fastest with a 1m:35.641. Alonso was able to improve with a 1m:35.987 but remained second.

Rosberg was now fourth, 1m:36.353, with Nico now ninth and Rubens had improved to be tenth, 1m:37.152. Webber was on a quick lap moving up to fourth, 1m:36.158. Rubens had pitted as Schumacher moved up to ninth, 1m:36.851. With seven minutes remaining Vettel had yet to set a time with Hamilton still fastest from and improved Webber, 1m:35.978, Alonso, Button, Rosberg, Kubica, Massa, Sutil, Schumacher, and Nico in tenth. Vettel was now sixth, 1m:36.434. Nico and Rubens were now eleventh and twelfth and in their pits with five minutes remaining. Drivers would start to return to the track including both Williams drivers. The top four were still in their pits while Petrov was able to move up to eleventh on his first timed lap, 1m:37.053.

Massa was able to improve to be fourth, 1m:36.076, and Alguersuari and Buemi were tenth and eleventh. Nico was now fifteenth while Rubens was seventeenth. Rosberg would go second with a 1M:35.952 while Rubens had improved to be eleventh, 1M:36.664. Nico was down in sixteenth and back in his pit as the period came to an end. Those not making the cut were Liuzzi, Glock, Trulli, Kovalainen, Di Grassi, Senna, and Chandhok. At the front it was Hamilton from Rosberg, Webber, Alonso, Massa, Button, Vettel, Kubica, Schumacher, Alguersuari, Rubens, Sutil, Buemi, Petrov, Kobayashi, Nico, and De la Rosa.

Both Williams drivers were in the second period it would get underway with Petrov first out joined by both Torro Rosso cars and Nico. Petrov was on the softer tyre as other drivers came out. Both McLaren's and Red Bull cars were out on the track. Rubens would finally come out with only De la Rosa yet to run. Petrov's time was a 1m:36.311 while Buemi was second. Alguersuari was fastest, 1m:36.137, as Nico moved into fourth. Hamilton was now fastest with a 1m:34.928 with Alonso now second from Webber, Button, Vettel, and Sutil. Nico was now thirteenth as Schumacher moved into sixth. Rosberg was up to second, 1m:35.134, with Alonso third from Massa, Webber, and Button.

Hamilton and Alonso would pit while Rubens moved up to tenth with a time of 1m:36.060. Kubica was now eighth seeing Rubens drop to eleventh and Nico sixteenth. Rosberg would pit along with Nico. Vettel was sixth using the harder tyre, 1m:35.433. Rubens would pit while Nico was now slowest with De la Rosa moving into sixteenth pushing Nico down to seventeenth. With six minutes remaining only one driver was on the track but more drivers would start to come out including Nico and both Torro Rosso cars. Webber, Vettel, and Button would also come back out. The top four remained in their pits while Nico was on an improved lap setting a personal best in sector one and two. Rubens was now out on the track while Nico would only improve slightly, 1m:36.647, to move up to sixteenth.

Webber was now second, 1m:35.100 and Vettel fifth. Rubens was now twelfth but was able to find a few tenths to move up to tenth, 1m:35.748. But he would drop to eleventh as Sutil moved into ninth, 1m:35.665. Schumacher was now tenth as the period came to an end. Those not making the cut were Rubens, Alguersuari, Buemi, Petrov, Kobayashi, Nico, and De la Rosa. The top ten were Hamilton from Webber, Rosberg, Alonso, Vettel, Massa, Button, Kubica, Sutil, and Schumacher. Not surprisingly neither Williams cars were able to make it into the final period. The FW32 certainly is proving to be a real problem with the cars suffering from many issues.

The final ten minute period would see all ten cars out on the track very quickly with the softer compound been the preferred tyre. Alonso would set the first time with a 1m:36.065 with Massa second but Webber would take this spot while Rosberg was now third. Massa was fourth and Schumacher fifth. Vettel was now fastest with a 1m:34.970 from Alonso and Webber. Hamilton was only fifth, 1m:35.549, with five minutes remaining. Alonso would pit while Kubica was ninth. Button was down in seventh and Sutil tenth.

Everyone had set a time with Vettel fastest from Alonso, Webber, Rosberg and Hamilton. Both McLaren's were out on the track joined by Alonso, Webber, and Massa. All ten drivers were now back out with two minutes left in the period. A good first sector from Hamilton continued in the second. He was able to improve with a 1m:35.034 to now be in second. Button had also improved to now be second, 1m:34.979, but Webber would go fastest with a 1m:34.806 and Alonso second. Vettel was now third but he would improve his time to go fastest with a 1m:34.558. So Vettel was fastest from Webber, Alonso, Rosberg, Button, Hamilton, Massa, Kubica, Schumacher, and Sutil in tenth.

So for the AT&T Williams team their drivers will start the 2010 Chinese Grand Prix from eleventh and sixteenth. A day of frustrations for the team with the team struggling to get some pace from the FW32. Sundays race is going to be a difficult time with the chances of points looking very remote.