The start of the opening period of qualifying for the 2010 British Grand Prix would see Glock take to the track first followed by a rush of drivers. Both AT&T Williams cars were out on the track looking to improve on their times from Saturday's practice. Glock would set a 1m:35.951 with Di Grassi second and Trulli third. Kovalainen was now fastest but was past by Glock. Only Sutil had yet to come out as Petrov went fastest with a 1m:32.467. Alguersuari was now second from Glock but Button would move up to second with a time of 1m:32.668.

Nico was down in eleventh and Rubens fifteenth, with the times changing rapidly. Rosberg was now fastest, 1m:31.684, from Rubens who found a considerable amount
of time on his second lap, 1m:31.789. Alonso was third from Kubica, De la Rosa, Massa, with Nico now in seventh, 1m:32.294. Massa was now second with a 1m:31.723, while Vettel would move to the top of the times only to see Rubens move ahead with a 1m:31.424. But Webber would push Rubens down to second again with a 1m:30.988. Vettel was now third from Rosberg, Massa, Kubica, Alonso, Petrov, Buemi, and Schumacher in tenth. Nico had dropped to twelfth.

Both Rubens and Nico would pit with just over eight minutes remaining. Webber would improve, 1m:858 but he was beaten by team-mate Vettel with a 1m:30.841 to give us a Red Bull one-two. Alonso was now third from Sutil and Hamilton. Rubens was now sixth and Nico fourteenth. Most of the field had pitted with six minutes remaining. Nico would return to the track while Alonso would run wide and onto the grass at Woodcote. As more cars returned to the track we still had Button way down in fifteenth.

With the top six, including Rubens, still in their pits the rest of the field would start their second runs. Fourth placed Sutil would come out as the final three minutes counted down. Alguersuari would improve to be seventeenth. Under two minutes and of the top six only Sutil was out on the track. Both Torro Rosso cars would pit as Button found time moving up to seventh, 1m:31.435, but Massa would push others down the order by improving to be sixth. Rubens was now seventh and Button eighth.

As the period comes to an end Kobayashi would move up to thirteenth with Nico pitting only managing sixteenth. Those not making the cut were Alguersuari, Kovalainen, Glock, Trulli, Di Grassi, Chandhok, and Yamamoto. The top ten was Vettel from Webber, Alonso, Sutil, Hamilton, Massa, Rubens, Button, De la Rosa, and Rosberg in tenth. A good performance from Rubens but Nico is most unlikely to make it past the second period of qualifying.

With the start of the second period both Rubens and Nico would take to the track early with several drivers coming out on the softer tyre. Fifteen drivers were on the track while Alonso was on the harder tyre and Massa the softer. Alonso was fastest with a 1m:38.178 but both Button and Massa would move ahead. So Button was fastest from Massa but Nico would move into second, 1m:34.972, while Rubens was fifth. But it was all changing at the top with the fastest time rapidly changing. Alonso was now fastest with a 1m:31.019, from Massa, Hamilton, Sutil, and Kubica. Now it was Webber's turn at the top with a time of 1m:30.436. Nico had dropped to ninth while Rubens was in thirteenth.

Kubica was sixth but as other drivers completed their next lap it would be Rubens now in sixth, 1m:31.126, with Nico now fifteenth and in his pit. Vettel was now second, 1m:30.586, with both Red Bull cars having pitted. Alonso was now third from Massa, Schumacher, and Rubens in sixth. Behind the Williams driver was Hamilton, De la Rosa, Sutil, and Rosberg in tenth. Everyone would pit with Vettel first back out with just over five minutes remaining. Petrov would coast down the pit lane with what appeared as no drive. He was able to make it back to his pit. Only three drivers were still in their pits as Vettel quickly got down to looking to improve.

Webber was also on a quick lap while Vettel set a 1m:30.480, but remained in second. Webber would go fastest again with a 1M;30.144 to be three tenths ahead of his team-mate. Vettel would pit with just over a minute remaining. Nico would seem to get baulked by Liuzzi but his next lap would see him improve with a 1m:31.635 but would only move up to thirteenth. With the end of the period Nico had not made the cut while Rubens was in eighth, 1m:31.126. Another good performance from the Brazilian.

With the end of the period those not making the cut were Sutil, Kobayashi, Nico, Button, Liuzzi, Petrov, and finally Buemi. The top ten were Webber from Vettel, Alonso, Massa, Schumacher, Rosberg, Hamilton, Rubens, De la Rosa, and in tenth Kubica. This was another strong showing from Rubens again making it into the top ten. For Nico the results must be very disappointing to see him so far behind his team-mate.

The final period would get underway with Massa, Alonso, and Rubens out first. Rosberg and Hamilton were also out on the track with just three drivers in the pits. Both Ferrari's were on the softer tyre as Massa went fastest only to be passed by Alonso with a 1m:30.426. Hamilton was now second with Rubens third, 1m:31.668. But Webber would put in a stunning lap with a 1m:29.758 to be fastest by a considerable margin.

But he would be beaten by Vettel with a 1m:29.695. Alonso would pit from third with Hamilton fourth from Rosberg and Rubens. Hamilton and Rubens would pit followed by Rosberg. Webber was also back in his pit with four minutes remaining. Vettel would now pit with Schumacher, Kubica, and De la Rosa yet to set a time. Rubens was sixth as the final minutes counted down. Now we had all ten drivers out on the track with Rubens on an improved lap. Rubens would set a 1m:31.175 but was now in seventh after Kubica moved ahead of him. The Red Bull cars would swap fastest sector times but Webber would fail to beat Vettel's time while Vettel would improve again with a 1m:29.615. Hamilton had improved with a 1m:30.556 and was in fourth.

So with the end of the period it was Vettel on pole from Webber, Alonso, Hamilton, Rosberg, Kubica, Massa, Rubens, De la Rosa, and in tenth Schumacher. A strong effort from Rubens to finish in eighth and his chances of securing a good result in Sunday's race were looking encouraging.