The news coming out from Singapore prior to qualifying was that Barrichello would take a five grid place penalty for a gearbox change. For the Williams team the prospects for qualifying would be encouraging with Nico Rosberg most likely to make it into Q3. As for Kazuki Nakajima it would be more difficult but not impossible for him to make it into Q3.

The opening twenty minute period would commence with Alguersuari first out. He was followed by a rush of drivers including Sutil, Fisichella, Raikkonen, Buemi, Grosjean, and Liuzzi. Vettel would also come out early, while Fisichella was on the super soft tyre. Webber and Barrichello were also out on the track as Grosjean take to the escape road at Turn seven. Nico was out on the track joined by Kazuki. Button was out on the track joined by Kovalainen. only four cars had yet to come out, including both Hamilton and Alonso. Alguersuari set a time of 1m:50.169 followed by Fisichella, 1m:51.028. They were way off the pace.

Buemi was now fastest, 1m:49.078, followed by Raikkonen. Liuzzi was fifth followed by Vettel and Grosjean. Everyone was out on the track with Webber now second, 1m:49.123, but Button was now fastest with a 1mm:48.632. Nico was down in eighth with a 1m:51.380. Kazuki's first lap would see him twelfth while at the front Vettel was now fastest with a 1m:48.168 but Barrichello moved head with a 1m:47.939. Kovalainen was now third from Button, Buemi, Webber, Fisichella, Grosjean, and Liuzzi.

Kazuki was now sixteenth while team-mate Nico was now fastest with a 1m:47.636. Hamilton was on a quick lap while Kazuki would move into third, 1m:48.024. Vettel was again fastest with a 1m:47.451. Ten minutes remaining as Hamilton moved fastest with a 1m:47.241. Button was now third as Nico pitted joined by Barrichello. Kazuki was now sixth and would pit.

Glock was seventh from Alonso and Webber. Kovalainen would match his team-mate moving up to third from eighth with a 1m:47.542. Buemi would improve to be sixth, 1m:47.704. Most of the field would return to their pits with seven minutes remaining. Nico was now fifth and Kazuki eighth. Fisichella was up to fourteenth just behind Raikkonen. Hamilton had improved his time with a 1m:46.977 to remain fastest. Hamilton was on the harder tyre making his time impressive. Grosjean was up to twelfth, 1m:48.623, while both Ferrari's were still on the track trying to improve.

Nico was back out with just over four minutes left. There would be a rush of drivers coming back out for their final runs but the top three were still in their pits. Kazuki was back out.

Raikkonen was on a quick lap, fastest in sector one, and would finish his lap in second, 1m:47.293. Nico was on an improved lap but around him other drivers were also improving. Nico would improve to now be in third, 1m:47.390, but Heidfeld would jump ahead with a 1m:47.347 to now be third. Hamilton was still fastest but Button would move into second, 1m:47.180, with Raikkonen third. Heidfeld was fourth from Nico, Vettel, Kovalainen, Kubica, Kazuki, and Webber in tenth. With the end of the period Nico had pitted while Kazuki was on his last lap. Barrichello was now sixth, 1m:47.397, while Kazuki remained in tenth.

Those not making the cut were Sutil, Alguersuari, Fisichella, Grosjean, and Liuzzi. Both Hamilton and Vettel had remained in their pits to save tyres. Five down and fifteen left with the order being Hamilton, Button, Raikkonen, Heidfeld, Nico, Barrichello, Vettel, Kovalainen, Kubica, Kazuki, Webber, Buemi, Trulli, Alonso, and Glock.

The second fifteen minute period would commence with both Williams drivers having a good chance of making it through into Q3. Vettel would be first out followed by Buemi, both Brawn's, Webber, Raikkonen. Tony Ross, Nico's engineer, would talk to Nico prior to him taking to the track, speaking of tyre management. Nico was out early joined shortly by Kazuki. Both BMW's and Alonso had yet to come out with twelve minutes remaining. Kubica was next out as everyone was on their first lap with Vettel setting a time of 1m:51.995 but he was easily beaten by Barrichello, Button, and Buemi. Barrichello's fastest time was a 1m:47.126. But Webber was now fastest with a 1m;47.030.

Nico was now fastest with a 1m:46.197. Nico was on the softer tyre while Hamilton moved into second followed by Glock, and Kovalainen. Vettel would improve to be second, 1m:46.642. Kazuki was up to sixth, 1m:47.013. Kubica was now ninth as Nico pitted. Eight minutes remaining as Kazuki pitted. Heidfeld was up to fifth, 1m:46.832. Kazuki had dropped to seventh. Nico was half a second ahead of Vettel, in what was an excellent lap from the Williams driver. Alonso was out on his first run joining only Heidfeld out on the track.

Alonso would move up to fifth as Kovalainen and Raikkonen came back out, joined by Button. Barrichello was also back out on the track. Both Toyota's would leave the pit lane joined by Vettel. With three minutes left both Kazuki and Nico were still in their pits. Kazuki was back out with two and a half minutes remaining while Nico remained in his pit. The Williams team must be confident of seeing Nico remain at the front. Button would improve to be eleventh and in real trouble. Barrichello was tenth after running wide at Turn ten.

Kubica would move up to sixth with a 1m:46.813 while Kazuki was now ninth. Barrichello was now sixth while Webber moved into second with Vettel third. As a result Kazuki would be pushed down to eleventh. Behind him and also not making the cut were Button, Raikkonen, Buemi, and Trulli. The top ten was Nico from Webber, Vettel, Hamilton, Glock, Alonso, Barrichello, Kubica, Heidfeld, and Kovalainen. A great effort from both Williams drivers with Kazuki missing the cut by just a few tenths. Now it come down to how Nico can perform in the final period.

With his race fuel onboard the big question was whether Nico could put his car on pole or near the front of the grid. Nico was first out followed by Vettel. Hamilton was yet to come out but would do so possibly to give himself some room to the cars in front. On the softer tyre Nico would start his flying lap setting a time of 1m:48.348 but he was quickly beaten by Vettel with a 1m:48.204. Webber was third from Barrichello, Heidfeld, Kubica, while Glock moved into fifth. Alonso would take this spot while Hamilton would move to the top of the times with a 1m:47.891.

Nico was now third and would pit, joined by Vettel and Barrichello. Webber and Heidfeld would also come in joined by the rest of the top ten. Everyone was back out for their final lap, Hamilton had being the last to pit. Nico was on an improved lap while Vettel went fastest in sector one. Nico would go fastest in sector two. Barrichello would put his cart into the wall seeing the period red flagged meaning that with just twenty six seconds left neither Vettel or Nico would be able to put in another time. Barrichello would run wide at Turn five hitting the left rear tyre and forcing the front of hi car into the wall. Barrichello was a fifth at the time and with his penalty drop to tenth.

Hamilton was a lucky fastest from Vettel, Nico, Webber, Barrichello, Alonso, Glock, Heidfeld, Kubica, and Kovalainen. A fantastic effort from Nico to see himself third on the grid while Kazuki would finish in eleventh. Nico would say in the later press conference that it had been a really good day. They made some big changes to the car that saw them go quicker.