As the clock counted down to the start of qualifying for the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix the Williams F1 team would feel confident that Pastor Maldonado would make it into the final period of qualifying. As for team-mate Bruno Senna his last practice saw him finish in a poor seventeenth place so it was looking like qualifying for him would be a difficult time. With the start of the opening twenty minute period it would be Kobayashi out first followed by Grosjean. Both Williams drivers would come out early with Pastor leading out Bruno. More drivers would come out as Kobayashi started his timed lap. Only five cars were still in their pits including both Red Bull's. A 1m:43.939 from Kobayashi as Pastor set a 1m:42.595 to be fastest.

Grosjean was now second from Di Resta and Kobayashi. Pic and Glock were fifth and sixth with Hulkenberg eighth. We now only had Ricciardo, Vettel, and Webber still in their pits. Raikkonen was now second with a 1m:43.038 with Grosjean third. Ricciardo was now out on the track as Hulkenberg went third, 1m:43.132, with Bruno now fifth, 1m:43.565. Alonso would go fastest with a 1m:42.574 with Button third behind Pastor. Pastor would go fastest in sector one with Bruno now ninth. He would finish with a 1m:42.375 to be fastest from Alonso and Button. Both Williams drivers were on the medium tyre as Webber took to the track. Hamilton was on a quick lap going fastest in sector one as Raikkonen moved up to second with a 1m:42.525. Pastor would pit joining Kobayashi and Pic.

With ten minutes remaining it was Pastor leading followed by Raikkonen and Alonso. But Alonso would improve to be fastest with a 1m:42.115. Raikkonen would also pit as Massa moved up to third, 1m:42.458, while Hamilton went fastest with a 1m:41.497. Perez was now sixth followed by Button, Schumacher, Rosberg, and Hulkenberg tenth. Bruno had dropped to fourteenth while Vettel's first lap would see him down in thirteenth, 1m:43.089, after making a mistake running wide. Massa was on an improved lap while Vettel would move up to fourth with a 1m:42.351. This would become fifth as Massa went third with a 1m:41.974. Both Bruno and Pastor were back out both running on the soft tyre.

Webber was only thirteenth while at the front Button was now fourth followed by Vettel, Pastor, Raikkonen, Di Resta, Perez, and Schumacher tenth. Raikkonen would improve to be fourth but he would be pushed down one place as Webber went second fastest with a 1m:41.933. Bruno was down in fifteenth and Pastor now ninth. Another driver to improve would be Rosberg who went second fastest with a 1m:41.926 running on the soft tyre, as the period came to a close. Bruno was on his last lap but it was announced that the stewards would investigate an incident between Bruno and Perez. Bruno would fail to improve ending up in sixteenth. Those not making the cut were Vergne, Kovalainen, Pic, Petrov, Glock, De la Rosa, and Karthikeyan. The top ten was Hamilton from Rosberg, Webber, Alonso, Massa, Pastor, Grosjean, Vettel, Raikkonen, and Button tenth.

As the sun started to set the second fifteen minute period would commence with Di Resta and Perez out first. For Williams Pastor would come out first as more drivers took to the track including Bruno. All the cars were out on the soft tyres as Perez set a 1m:42.313 while Di Resta pitted. Kobayashi would set a 1m:43.016 while Pastor would set a 1m:41.907 to go fastest. Raikkonen would go quicker, 1m:41.635, but he would be passed by first Grosjean and then Webber who went fastest with a 1m:41.558. Just as quickly Hamilton would go fastest with a 1m:41.366. Pastor was now down in seventh and Bruno eleventh, 1m:42.841. Button was up to fifth followed by Massa and Pastor. Rosberg and Schumacher were ninth and tenth as Alonso went up to second with a 1m:41.514.

Vettel would go second with a 1m:41.511 with Alonso third followed by Webber, Grosjean, Raikkonen, Massa, Button, and Pastor. Webber would go fastest with a 1m:41.277 but quickly Hamilton would move ahead with a 1m:40.901. Both Pastor and Bruno had pitted as Hulkenberg moved up to tenth, 1m:42.019. Pastor was first back out as Di Resta set a 1m:42.218 to be eleventh. Bruno was now fifteenth and back out on the track. Pastor was back out on a new set of soft tyres as the final three minutes started. The top five were all still in their pits as Kobayashi went fifteenth, 1m:42.606. Pastor was on a quicker lap setting a personal best in sector one. Fifth placed Grosjean was back out as Pastor set a 1m:41.907 to remain ninth. Rosberg was on a quick lap going fastest in sector two.

As the period came to a close Bruno would start his final lap looking to get into the top ten. Rosberg would improve to be seventh, 1m:41.698, seeing Pastor now tenth. Ricciardo was seventeenth despite having improved his time. Bruno would finish his lap remaining fifteenth, 1m:42.330. With the end of the period those not making it through would be Hulkenberg, Perez, Di Resta, Schumacher, Bruno, Kobayashi, and Ricciardo. The top ten was Hamilton followed by Webber, Vettel, Alonso, Raikkonen, Grosjean, Rosberg, Massa, Button, and Pastor.

With the lights now on the final ten minute period would commence with Raikkonen out first followed by Grosjean. Both McLaren's were out on the track with the only drivers yet to come out being Massa and Pastor. Pastor would come out as the drivers started their flying laps. Massa was still in his pit as Raikkonen set a 1m:41.756 to go fastest. Grosjean set a 1m:42.093 as Alonso went fastest with a 1m:41.582. But Hamilton would smash everyone's time setting a 1m:40.630. Webber was now second with a 1m:41.228. Pastor had pitted with out setting a time as Vettel moved up to second with a 1m:41.093. Alonso was now fourth followed by Rosberg, Button, Raikkonen, and Grosjean eighth.

Massa and Pastor had yet to set a time as Hamilton and Alonso pitted. They would be joined by all top eight as Massa and Pastor came back out for their first timed laps. Raikkonen and Webber would come back out joined by Grosjean and Vettel. Massa would go sixth with a 1m:41.723. Only Rosberg was still in his pit and out of his car ending his qualifying. Pastor was on a quick lap setting a 1m:41.226 to be third. A great lap from the Williams driver. Both Raikkonen and Grosjean were on improved laps as the final seconds counted down. Everyone was on their final flying laps as Hamilton went fastest in sector one. The period would end as Raikkonen moved up to fifth, 1m:41.260, while Webber went second with a 1m:40.978.

Vettel was also on an improved lap finishing third behind his team-mate Pastor would finish in an excellent fourth. Hamilton would take a comfortable pole from Webber, Vettel, Pastor, Raikkonen, Button, Alonso, Rosberg, Massa, and Grosjean tenth. For Vettel he would stop his car out on the track not making it back into his pit. Vettel had been told by his engineer to stop his car. Would this have an impact on his third place grid position if he has to take a grid penalty if he has to change something like a gearbox. Qualifying for the Williams team was one of two extremes with one driver fourth and the other fifteenth and it will be very interesting to see how Sunday's race turns out. Pastor would have the pace to run at the front but for Bruno it is going to come down to strategy and a bit of luck to see him have a chance of securing a points scoring finish.