With both AT&T Williams cars finishing in twelfth and thirteenth in the final practice session there was a degree of uncertainty as to whether they would be able to pull themselves further up the grid. The first twenty minute period would commence with Petrov, D'Ambrosio and Schumacher coming out of the pit lane. More drivers would start to leave the pits including both Force India cars, both Torro Rosso cars, and the second Virgin of Glock. Button would come out early joined by Rubens Barrichello. Pastor Maldonado would also come out as D'Ambrosio set a 1m:23.192 to be passed by Petrov with a 1m:18.112 while Schumacher was second. Sutil was now third but Heidfeld would move ahead with a 1m:18.452. Mercedes was still working on Rosberg's car but it was expected that he would get out in the opening period.

Button was now fastest with a 1m:17.059, running on the prime tyres. We only had Rosberg's car and the two HRT's still in their pits. Petrov set a 1m:17.023 to be fastest but was pase3d by Hamilton with a 1m:16.321. On his next lap Button was down to a 1m:15.969. Pastor would move up to sixth, 1m:17.310, while Rubens was now in seventh, 1m:17.547. Webber was now in fourth while Schumacher was fifth as Vettel moved up to second with a lap of 1m:16.317. Massa was now sixth followed by Webber, Heidfeld, Alonso, Pastor, and Rubens in eleventh. Hamilton was now fastest with a 1m:15.930. But Vettel was even quicker with a 1m:15.606, but Button would move ahead with a 1m:15.397.

Petrov and Schumacher had pitted as Pastor moved up to seventh with a 1m:16.937. Rubens was now twelfth as Alonso moved up to fourth, 1m:16.225. Button would pit while Massa was now fifth. Webber was now ninth but his next lap would see him move up to seventh. Rosberg was out on the track and would set a 1m:16.265 to be fifth. Both Pastor and Rubens had pitted and with seven minutes remaining Hamilton was fastest from Button,
Vettel, Alonso, Rosberg, Massa, Petrov, Webber, Schumacher, and Pastor in tenth. Alguersuari would be the first out on the super soft tyres as Alonso set a 1m:16.051 to be fourth while Rosberg moved up to this spot with a 1m:15.858. Buemi, on the super soft's, was up to seventh, 1m:16.358.

Pastor had dropped to twelfth and Rubens fifteenth. More drivers were coming out on the option tyre as Heidfeld moved up to ninth, 1m:16.704, running on these tyres. Perez was up to sixth, 1m:16.115, on the option tyre. Both Pastor and Rubens weer back out while both Ferrari's were now in their pits. Pastor would move up to ninth, 1m:16.338, running on the option tyre. Also on the option tyre was Schumacher who moved up to sixth, 1m:16.092. Rubens was now fifteenth, 1m:16.807, as the final minutes counted down. Both HRT
cars had failed to take the track as Perez moved up to fifth, 1m:15.918. Pastors next lap would see him jump up to fourth, 1m:15.819, as Rubens started a better lap.

But Rubens lap would see him fail to improve as the period came to a close. Those not making the cut were Kovalainen, Trulli, Alguersuari, Glock, and D'Ambrosio. Both HRT cars did not come out and made up to the final two places in the seven. Fastest was Hamilton from Button, Vettel, Pastor, Rosberg, Perez, Alonso, Webber, Schumacher, Massa, Buemi, Petrov, Kobayashi, Sutil, Rubens, and Heidfeld in sixteenth.

The second fifteen minute period would commence with a rush of drivers coming out with Pastor being amongst them. Rubens would also come out with the track now very busy with drivers looking to find space to get a clear lap. Schumacher was out on used set of super soft tyres. With twelve and a half minutes remaining all seventeen cars were on the track as Buemi set a 1m:16.735. He was beaten by Schumacher and Sutil with Buemi third. Massa and Petrov were now second and third. But Webber would go fastest with a 1m:14.996 running on the super soft tyres. But Hamilton would move ahead with a 1m:14.275.

Button was now second with a 1m;14.587, while Webber had dropped to third. Pastor was up to sixth, 1m:16.114, as Alonso moved up to second with a 1m:14.569. But Vettel was now second with a 1m:14.314. Rubens was now seventh, 1m:15.953, but he would drop to eighth. Rosberg was now sixth, 1m:15.283, while Rubens and Pastor were ninth and tenth. Button was attacking but his lap would see him remain third. Pastor and Rubens had both pitted with eight minutes remaining. Hamilton was also in as Vettel started a quicker lap finishing with a 1m:14.277, to be just 0.002 behind Hamilton. Button would also pit as currently we had both Williams cars in the top ten.

 

The track was now fairly empty as the drivers got ready for their final runs. Massa was now in eighth behind the Mercedes of Rosberg and Schumacher. Pastor would come back out joined by Rubens. The top five remained in their pits as the super soft tyre became the tyre of necessity in this time. Petrov would set a 1m:16.037 to be tenth, seeing Pastor drop to eleventh. Massa was on a quicker lap moving up to fifth, 1m:14,648. Perez
was now eighth, 1m:15.482. Rubens was now tenth and Pastor tenth. But Pastor would take tenth from Rubens with a 1m:15.545. Rubens would set a 1m:15.826 but remained eleventh. It was very busy as the drivers fought over their places in the top ten. Petrov was up to eleventh seeing Rubens twelfth.

With one minute remaining Rubens needed to put in a good lap to get into the top ten. Both Pastor and Rubens were on better laps while Schumacher set a 1m:14.981 to be seventh. Pastor would pit as Rubens failed to improve to remain twelfth. The period would come to an end with those not making the cut were Petrov, Rubens, Kobayashi, Di Resta, Sutil, Heidfeld, and Buemi. The top ten was Hamilton from Vettel, Button, Alonso, Massa, Rosberg, Webber, Schumacher, Perez, and Pastor in tenth. Another fine qualifying effort from the Williams driver on a circuit he knows very well.

Both Alguersuari and Kobayashi were asked to speak to the stewards as a result of an incident between the two in the second period. With Pastor in the top ten the final ten minute period would get underway with Schumacher out first. Alonso and Massa were out on the super softs as Vettel, Hamilton, Pastor, and Perez remained in their pits. So we only had six cars on the track as Schumacher started his flying lap also on eth option tyre. Vettel had left the pits as Schumacher set a 1m:15.020. Alonso would set a 1m:18.681 as
Massa went fastest with a 1m:14.889. But Button would set a 1m:13.997 to go fastest.

Webber was now second with a 1m:14.019 with Massa now third. Schumacher would pit as Alonso set a 1m:14.483 to be third. Massa was now fourth as Schumacher returned to the track. Vettel would go fastest with a 1m:13.556 to be fastest as we now had Hamilton, Pastor, and Perez come out. Webber and Alonso had pitted joined by Massa. Alonso would quickly return taking on brand new super soft tyres. Vettel would pit as Hamilton was forced to run behind Massa for a few turns. Only Vettel remained in the pit s as Schumacher set
a 1m:14.682 as the session was stopped as a result of a crash by Perez.

Hamilton, Pastor, and Perez had yet to set a time. Perez would come out of the tunnel completely in the wrong part of the track seeing him spin into the barrier on the right. He would hit the barrier and then fly down the track and into the barrier. The barrier would do its job absorbing a large part of the impact as the Sauber crashed. But the ambulance was now on site as medical staff attended to the accident. It was taking a long time to remove Perez carefully from the car. The marshals would cover the scene from view as they went through the process of attending to Perez. Perez would be finally removed from his car and placed
into the ambulance, to the applause of the crowd. Reports would come back saying that Perez was conscious and taking, great news.

With two minutes and twenty six seconds left in the period the marshals would repair the track safety barriers as Perez's wrecked car was lifted away. Hamilton and Pastor were under considerable pressure as neither had set a time. Hamilton would be waiting at the pit lane exit joined by Button, as they waited for the restart of the final period. Pastor was in his car as other drivers joined the queue at the exit. Hamilton was out of the pit lane all looking to set a time as all nine drivers were out on the track. Vettel was last out as Hamilton completed his warm-up lap to start his flying lap. The period would come to an end as Button coasted around the track. Hamilton would set only a 1m:15.280 to be seventh. Pastor would set a 1m:16.528 to be ninth. Drivers would be aborting their laps realising that they were not going to make up and time.

This would see Vettel remain fastest from Button, Webber, Alonso, Schumacher, Massa, Hamilton, Rosberg, and Pastor in ninth. A great effort from the Williams team to see firstly Pastor in the top ten again, in ninth, as well as Rubens running close to the top ten. Given that they out-qualified the likes of the Renault and Force India teams a degree of satisfaction can be taken by the Williams team drivers and mechanics.