Belgian GP: Both Williams drivers in top ten in qualifying

The practice session leading up to qualifying for the 2010 Belgian Grand Prix would see Nico Hulkenberg leading team-mate Rubens Barrichello, ninth against thirteenth. The session would commence under blue skies but reports had rain that showers may hit the circuit halfway into the session. It should be remembered that Michael Schumacher will incur a ten place grid penalty as a result of his driving in Hungary. There was also the issue of if the rain falls again how the teams will manage their allocation of the intermediate and wet weather tyres.

With the start of the period the pit lane would fill and there would be a rush of drivers taking to the track. Some drivers were on the option slick tyre, including Button, looking to put in a quick time. For Petrov it would all go wrong when he would spin off hitting the barrier ending his qualifying. He lost the rear of his car on the kerbs damaging the right front. The session would be red flagged seeing all the drivers return to their pits. Rosberg was to have a gearbox change prior to qualifying and as a result will get a five place penalty. Sutil would report that the track was damp in places. Petrov's Renault would be removed as the weather started to close in with rain close to the circuit. Everyone was now going for the soft tyre and they would queue up in the pit lane.

The session would restart with eighteen minutes remaining of the twenty minute period. Out they would all go all looking to set a time before it rains. Vettel was last to come out running on the harder tyre. It was raining at Rivage as the drivers started their first timed lap. Rubens and Nico were running together and there was going to be a rush of times with Button finally going fastest with a 1m:57.981. Massa was second from Rubens, and Rosberg. But Hamilton would go fastest with a 1m:56.706. Nico was down in twelfth with a 2m:03.733. Button was still second from Massa, Rubens, Rosberg, Webber, Liuzzi, Schumacher, Alonso, and Glock in tenth. Vettel was down in seventeenth as the rain continued to fall. During this first lap there was a spin from the Virgin of Di Grassi which would see several drivers take to the gravel.

Everyone was back in their pits except Vettel who had stopped and taken on the intermediate tyres. Vettel was told not to destroy his tyres in the attempt to move up from seventeenth. Seventh placed Liuzzi was back out along with others who were running on the intermediate tyre all looking to improve on their tyres. Trulli would move up to twelfth pushing Nico down the order one place. There was six and a half minutes remaining in the period as Vettel jumped up to third with a 1m:58.487. Sixth placed Rosberg was back out along with eleventh placed Glock. More drivers started to come out while the rain was easing. Nico would join them while Sutil would move up to fifth with a 1m:58.730. Rubens was now sixth while Nico had dropped to fifteenth.

Fourth placed Massa was back out along with Vettel. Kubica was down in eighteenth and running as Rubens also took to the track. The track was drying rapidly with two and a half minutes remaining. The two McLaren's remained in their pits as Webber also took to the track. Kubica would set a quick time going fastest with a 1m:56.041. Kobayashi would spin off at Turn eight taking to the gravel ending his qualifying. More drivers were improving with Alonso now third while Nico would move up to fourth, 1m:57.963. The second Sauber of De la Rosa would also go off ending in the barrier and finishing his qualifying. The period would end but Rubens was on a quick lap and at the front Rosberg would go fastest with a 1m:54.826. Rubens would end his lap in second with a 1m:55.757. But on his next lap Nico would move up to second with a 1m:55.442.

Schumacher was now fifth behind fourth placed Kubica. Both of the Williams drivers were able to set their times on slicks. So with the end of the period it would be Rosberg from Nico, Rubens, Kubica, Schumacher, Hamilton, Alonso, Webber, Button, and Massa in tenth. Those not making the cut were Trulli, Kobayashi, Senna, Yamamoto, De la Rosa, Di Grassi, and Petrov. It was a very frantic session where there was an element of luck involved.

With the second period the forecast had no rain but this could quickly change. The drivers would take to the track for the fifteen minute period. Hamilton was first out running on the softer slick tyre. They would start their flying laps and Hamilton who would go fastest with a 1m:50.794. Button was second as Massa moved up into third from Nico, Rubens, and Alguersuari in sixth. Kubica was now second with a 1m:51.715 but Webber would move ahead to be second from Kubica, Rosberg, Button, Massa, Nico, Rubens, Alguersuari, and Schumacher in tenth. Nico's would improve to move up to fourth but he would quickly drop down the order to be seventh, 1m:50.677. Rubens was down in twelfth, 1m:51.589.

Kubica was now fastest, m1m:49.718, from Hamilton, 1m:49.853, and Webber. Alguersuari was now fourth, 1m:50.460. Several drivers were running wide including Button as Schumacher went fastest with a 1m:49.028. But Vettel would move ahead with a 1m:48.710. Kubica was now third, 1m:49.309 as the drivers all pitted to change tyres. Nico was now ninth and Rubens twelfth. Massa was lucky not to end his period when he went off onto the gravel but was able to keep his car moving and returned to his pit. With the grip levels improving the current times should be improved on. Everyone was now back out on the track as Button set the quickest first sector time running on the softer tyre.

Button would finish his lap with a 1m:47.421 to go fastest. Buemi was up to seventh as both Williams drivers were also on improved laps. Alonso was second with a 1m:47.844 but this would become third as Hamilton goes fastest with a 1m:46.441. Massa was now third, 1m:47.581, while Kubica moved up to second. But Vettel would take second, 1m:47.245, while Nico and Rubens were tenth and eleventh, 1m:48.343 and a 1m:48.435. The period would come to an end while Alguersuari moved into tenth pushing Nico and Rubens into eleventh and twelfth. Sutil was now fourth but Webber would move ahead while Nico and Rubens would move up into the top ten with Rubens ninth and Nico tenth, 1m:47.797 from Rubens and a 1m:47.821 from Nico.

Those not making the cut were Schumacher, Rosberg, Alguersuari, Liuzzi, Buemi, Kovalainen, and Glock. With their penalties Schumacher and Rosberg will start the race from twenty first and seventeenth. The top ten was Hamilton from Button, Vettel, Webber, Sutil, Kubica, Massa, Alonso, Rubens and Nico in tenth. Both Williams drivers were into the final period, a great effort from both Rubens and Nico.

The final ten minute period commence with Hamilton first out from Massa, Button, Alonso, and Kubica. Both Williams drivers would come out leaving a large amount of track to the cars in front. Rubens would start on the harder slick tyre as the lead drivers started their timed laps. Hamilton was on the softer tyre and was pushing very hard on his first lap. Hamilton would set a 1m:46.203 to go fastest from Massa and Button. But Kubica would move ahead with a 1m:46.100 to go fastest. But Webber would also improve, using the softer tyre, going fastest with a 1m:45.778.

Vettel was now third from Hamilton, Massa, Button, while Rubens was now fifth but he would drop to eighth as Massa, Button, and Nico moved ahead. Nico's time was a 1m:47.053 and Rubens a 1m:47.368. Everyone was now pitting while Rubens would improve to now be seventh, 1m:46.602. Sutil was now eighth while Nico was in ninth with a 1m:47.053. Alonso was in tenth as the rain started to fall in the pit lane. With one minute forty five remaining Kubica was still in his garage. Rubens would pit joined by Sutil. Nico was also back in the pits as the period came to an end.

Massa would ruin his lap running wide at Malmedy, meaning he won't improve on fifth. The drivers were on their last lap while Hamilton would move up to second, 1m:45.863. Kubica remained in third from Vettel, Button, Massa, Rubens, Sutil, Nico and Alonso. So Webber had taken pole for the 2010 Belgian Grand Prix. A seventh and a ninth from the Williams drivers. A great performance from both Rubens and Nico as Rubens get ready to start his 300th Grand Prix.