With the possibility of rain weighing on the drivers minds the opening period of qualifying would get underway for the 2009 German Grand Prix. With the super soft tyre proving to be better it was expected that drivers would use
two or three laps runs on the softer option to set their times. There would be a rush of drivers coming out for the start of the twenty minute period all looking to get a time in early just in case it rains.

Drivers were been told that the rain could start as early as five minutes into the period. With all twenty cars out on the track it would be Vettel who would set the first time with a 1m:33.413. Using the soft tyre Button would set the quickest time with a 1m:32.649. Alonso was next fastest but Hamilton would move ahead of him with a 1m:31.686. Sutil was now second followed by Massa who had set a time of 1m:32.277. Barrichello was now third behind Hamilton and Alonso. Kazuki was now fifth as Hamilton improved with a 1m:31.473. Raikkonen would improve to now be fourth, 1m:31.869.

With nearly half the period run those who were facing the prospect of not making the cut were Kubica, Heidfeld, Fisichella, Buemi, and Bourdais. Vettel, running on the harder tyre, was able to set a time ahead of Hamilton with a 1m:31.430. Hamilton was still out on the softer tyre while both Red Bull's would pit to also take on the softer tyre. Also on the softer tyre Heidfeld was able to improve from seventeenth to fifth, 1m:31.771. One of the practice pace setters Webber was down in twelfth. Trulli was able to move up to sixth using the softer tyre. Like many others Webber was able to improve markedly by setting the quickest time with a 1m:31.257. Button was now sixth with a 1m:31.568.

With just minutes remaining the bottom five were Buemi, Sutil, Fisichella, Glock and Bourdais. Alonso was able to move up to second. Now the drivers were faced with light rain starting to fall around the circuit. Most of the field would return and remain in their pits as the period came to an end. Those not making the cut were Kubica, Buemi, Fisichella, Glock, and Bourdais. Both Williams drivers were inside the top ten with Nico leading Kazuki with the pair settings times of 1m:31.598 and 1m:31.884.

As the drivers waited fro the start of the next period of fifteen minutes the rain had started to get heavier. This would make the going very difficult as the drivers tried to set a time when the track was at its best. The soft tyre was the choice as the fifteen drivers took to the track. With the track getting wetter it was getting far more difficult to run on the dry tyre as exampled by Massa's spin. There was a real fight amongst the drivers to get track position. This would see Kazuki who was leading a group and had track position but he would spin on his out lap but was able to continue. The dry tyres suddenly became impossible to run on so there was a rush of drivers returning to the pits to take on intermediate tyres.

One of the drivers to stay out was Webber but he struggled to complete the lap. Spray was coming off the tyres as Alonso set the first time but was passed by Hamilton with a 1m:42.325. Kovalainen would spin at the Mercedes Arena but he was able to continue with eight minutes remaining. Sutil was now second but was passed by Kazuki with Sutil now third followed by Heidfeld, and Piquet. Webber was now quickest with a 1m:38.038, while Raikkonen and Massa were now third and fourth.

With the rain easing dry tyres were now becoming the best option. There was a rush to switch tyres with five minutes remaining. Barrichello was now fastest by over four seconds as the other drivers all looked at trying to set a time on the dry tyre. With a mad rush in the pits the rain would again return on parts of the track. With three minutes remaining Trulli, Piquet, Rosberg, Button and Kovalainen were all facing not making the cut. At the front it was still Barrichello from now Piquet and Sutil. Alonso would spin at the NGK chicane but would keep his car out of the gravel and was able to continue. Kovalainen would improve to now be sixth. With the end of the period Heidfeld, Alonso, Kazuki, Trulli, and Nico were all eliminated. The top ten were Barrichello, Piquet, Sutil, Webber, Button, Hamilton, Vettel, Kovalainen, Massa, and Raikkonen.

For the Williams team it was not the result they were hoping for but with the variable track conditions it was very much a lottery. But at least Kazuki would have the satisfaction of leading team-mate Nico.

The final ten minute period would commence with the drivers having a drying track on which to set their times. Button would be first out joined by Barrichello, Webber, Massa, and Sutil. With all the other drivers out on the track Kovalainen and Piquet remained in their pits. Barrichello would set a time of 1m:32.797, in what were difficult conditions. Webber was now second just in front of Massa with a 1m:33.238. Vettel would move ahead of Webber with a 1m:33.182. Kovalainen was now fifth ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. Sutil would improve to be fourth, 1m:34.316.

As drivers continued to pit in flying laps Massa would improve to be fifth while Button would make a mistake seeing him fail to improve. Kovalainen was now fourth with under two minutes remaining. Team-mate Hamilton was now fastest as the period came to an end. Several drivers were still on quick laps with Button moving up to third behind Hamilton and Barrichello, with a time of 1m:32.745. Webber was now fastest with a 1m:32.230 but Vettel was still out there. Vettel would just fail to beat his team-mate moving into second. But in their final laps both Barrichello and Button would move ahead of Vettel with Barrichello second and Button third. Hamilton was fifth and Kovalainen sixth. Sutil was seventh followed by Massa, Raikkonen, and Piquet.