After the delay caused by the terrible weather on Saturday qualifying for the 2010 Japanese Grand Prix would finally get underway on Sunday morning. With the rain moving away the conditions were sunny but the track was still damp. For the AT&T Williams team, like all the others, there had not been any chance of doing any running in the final practice session so going into qualifying there was a degree of uncertainty as to the performance of their cars. Hamilton would get a five place grid penalty for a gearbox change prior to qualifying. Friday had seen both Williams drivers suffer technical problems but these would not be an issue.

The first twenty minute period of qualifying would see Petrov out first with both Williams drivers coming out early. Button would come out on intermediate tyres as more drivers left the pit lane. Button would pit as the drivers started their first laps. We had yet to see either of the Red Bull cars and it would be Petrov who sets the first time with a 1m:38.957. Nico was now fastest with a 1m:35.352 followed by Kovalainen, Di Grassi, Petrov, and Rubens in fifth with a 1m:39.455. Massa and Sutil would move ahead of Nico with Massa fifth with a 1m:34.636. But on their next laps Nico and Petrov would move into first and second. Nico's time was a 1m:33.096.

Rubens was now fastest with a 1m:32.858 as Schumacher moved into third. Petrov was now fourth but Massa would move into this spot, 1m:33.562. Heidfeld was up to fifth from Liuzzi and Alguersuari. Both McLaren's were in their pits joined by both Red Bull cars and Kubica. Rosberg was down in tenth while at the front the Williams drivers continued to show some good pace. Nico would go fastest with a 1m:32.317 with Heidfeld now third, 1m:33.122. Both Red Bull cars were out on the track while Rubens would improve his time with a 1m:32.361 but remained in second. Massa was third from Heidfeld, Schumacher, and Petrov. Nico would pit joined by several other drivers. We had yet to see Kubica out on the track as Rubens also pitted.

The Red bull drivers would start their first flying laps as Rosberg moved into third, 1m:32.645. Button was eighth and Alonso ninth. Vettel would move up to sixth, 1m:33.137, but this would become seventh as Alonso moved up to fifth, 1m:32.786. Webber was down in thirteenth as Hamilton moved up to seventh while Nico returned to the track. Rubens was also back out as Webber goes third fastest. Vettel was now fastest with time of 1m:32.168. Rosberg was fifth from Massa and Alonso. With five minutes remaining the track was now very busy with Kubica now out on the track. Button was up to eighth with a 1m:32.786. Kubica was now thirteenth as Vettel went fastest in sector one. Rubens
would pit while Vettel improved his time with a 1m:32.035.

Two minutes remaining and we still had the Williams drivers in second and third. Nico's time was a 1m:32.211 and Rubens a 1m:32.361. Vettel would pit as the final minute counted down. Nico would also come into the pit lane as Rosberg moved into third with a 1m:32.238, after been fastest in the last two sectors. Webber had also pitted as the period came to an end. The drivers would start to pit with Vettel fastest from Nico, Rosberg, Rubens, Webber, Schumacher, Alonso, Button, Massa, Kobayashi, Kubica, Hamilton, Petrov, Heidfeld, Sutil, Liuzzi, and Alguersuari. Those not making the cut were Buemi, Trulli, Kovalainen, Di Grassi, Glock, Senna, and Yamamoto.

The second fifteen minute period would commence with the Ferrari's first out followed by both Williams cars. Both Renault cars would also come out joined by both McLaren's. Only the two Mercedes cars had yet to take to the track as the drivers started their flying laps. Twelve minutes remaining and the times would come with a rush as Massa went fastest with a 1m:32.573 but was beaten by Alonso with a 1m:31.819. Nico was now second from Kubica and Massa now fourth. Rubens was in seventh with a 1m:36.916. Nico's time was a 1m:32.097 as Webber went fastest with a 1m:31.651. Button was now second and Hamilton fourth but he would drop to fifth as Vettel moved into third.

Rubens was now sixth with a 1m:31.937 as both Mercedes cars were out on the track. Webber was still fastest from Button, Vettel, Alonso, Hamilton, Rubens, Nico, Massa, Kobayashi, and Kubica in tenth. Rubens was out on the hard tyre while Nico was on the soft tyre as both Williams cars pitted. Kubica would improve to be eighth, 1m:32.080, while Webber would improve his time with a 1m:31.455. Rosberg was now in seventh pushing Nico to eighth. Button would remain second but closes to just over three tenths off the Webber's pace with a 1m:31.763. Schumacher was now tenth with a 1m:32.314.

The top nine were all back in the pits with Alonso first to return joined by Massa both on the softer tyre. Schumacher would pit while Massa was only eleventh joined by Kobayashi, Petrov, Sutil, Heidfeld, Alguersuari and Liuzzi in the drop zone. Both Williams cars were back out joined by all those in the top six. Both Mercedes cars were still in their pits with two and half minutes remaining. With two minutes remaining and only Schumacher was in the pits but he would come back out seeing all seventeen cars on the track. Vettel was fastest in sector one while Massa's lap would see him remain eleventh.

Vettel's lap would see him now fastest with a 1m:31.184 with Hamilton now third. Webber was now second and Button fourth. Nico was now sixth, 1m:31.926, and Rubens seventh, 1m:31.937. The period would end as the drivers started their final laps. Hamilton would pit joined by Nico and Webber. Schumacher would move into tenth, 1m:32.073, as the drivers started to pit. Vettel was fastest from Webber, Hamilton, Button, Alonso, Rubens, Rosberg, Nico, Kubica, and Schumacher in tenth. Those not making the cut were Heidfeld, Massa, Petrov, Kobayashi, Sutil, Alguersuari, and Liuzzi.

With both Williams driver making it into the final ten minute period, Rubens sixth and Nico eighth, it was a great performance as the drivers came out of the pit lane for their final laps. Hamilton was out first from Alonso with Rubens next. Rubens was on the softer tyre as more drivers took to the track. Only Button and Nico had yet to come out. Hamilton would start his first flying lap also running on the softer tyre. Hamilton would set a 1m:31.320 and Alonso a 1m:31.411. Rubens was in third with a 1m:31.596 as Vettel went fastest in sector one. Schumacher was now fourth, 1m:32.716, as Kubica moved into fourth.

Webber was now fastest with a 1m:31.185 but he was beaten by Vettel with a 1m:30.792. Hamilton and Alonso would pit while Button was out on the track. Nico still had yet to come out. Rubens was now in fifth with the order Vettel from Webber, Hamilton, Alonso, Rubens, Kubica, Rosberg, Schumacher, with Nico out on the track running on the softer tyre. Button was on the harder tyre as Hamilton and Alonso returned to the track. Button's first lap would see him in fourth, 1m:31.378. Vettel and Webber were both back out with all ten cars out on the track. With a minute and a half remaining Nico had yet to set a time but his first lap would see him in sixth with a 1m:31.559. This would move Rubens to seventh, 1m:31.596.

The period would come to an end with both Red Bull cars starting their last laps. Hamilton was now second with a 1m:31.169 with Kubica now fourth, 1m:31.231. Webber would move back up to second, 1m:30.853, as Nico pitted from ninth. Vettel would remain fastest with the top ten Vettel from Webber, Hamilton, Kubica, Alonso, Button, Rosberg, Rubens, Nico, and Schumacher in tenth. But with Hamilton taking a five grid place penalty the grid would be Vettel from Webber, Kubica, Alonso, Button, Rosberg, Rubens, Hamilton, Nico, and Schumacher. Another great effort from the Williams team with both drivers again in the top ten. Now it comes down to taking this opportunity to secure the maximum points to try and move ahead of Force India in the championship.