European GP: Great qualifying performance from Williams

After a very encouraging final practice for the 2010 European Grand Prix the AT&T Williams team would see Rubens Barrichello finish in sixth. Team-mate Nico Hulkenberg was further off the pace but with Rubens having won the race in 2009 qualifying could see Rubens close to the front. With the softer tyre seeming to be quite durable it would be most likely that the top ten would use this tyre in the final period. Williams had announced that Rubens would use the revised F-duct in qualifying, but Nico will not because his legs are too long to operate it efficiently.

The first twenty minute period would commence with the Lotus and Virgin cars coming out. Nico would join them as more drivers started to come out. Rubens would join Nico out on the track as Trulli set the first time with a 1m:44.452 only to be passed by Glock, 1M:43.683. Kovalainen was now fastest 1m:42.308 but it was very early days. With fifteen minutes remaining we had yet to see the Red Bull cars come out as Nico went fastest with a 1m:39.758. Liuzzi would move into second, 1m:40.475, with Petrov sixth. Rubens was down in tenth with a time of 1m:48.453 while Alonso went second fastest with a 1m:40.285 but it was all changing as Button went fastest, 1m:39.467.

Nico was now second from Buemi and Alonso. Massa was now fastest with a 1m:39.288 from Button and Nico. Liuzzi was fourth from Alguersuari and Buemi. Rubens had dropped to seventeenth as Alonso moved to the top of the times, 1m:38.736, from Hamilton and Massa. Only Glock and Kubica were in their pits while Nico was still in fourth after improving his time with a 1m:39.378. Petrov was now fifth from Button, Buemi, and Schumacher. Rubens would pit in a quick lap to move up to third with a 1m:39.210. This would become fifth as Alonso went fastest from Button. But Rosberg would move into second with Button now third from Webber, Massa, Vettel, Hamilton, and Liuzzi in eighth.

Rubens had dropped to ninth while Nico was in tenth and back in his pit with nine minutes remaining. Rubens would also pit as Hamilton moved into second, 1m:38.697. Rosberg was now third from Button while at the front Vettel would go fastest with a 1m:38.324. Alonso was second with team-mate Massa now third, 1m:38.657. Webber was now seventh, 1m:38.857, but would improve to be fifth, 1m:38.708. Sutil was up to ninth, 1m:39.021. Kubica was out on the track and would move straight to the top of the times with a 1m:38.282. Vettel had pitted while both Williams cars were back out. Rubens and Nico were now in eleventh and twelfth. Webber was now fourth with a 1m:38.549 as Kubica improved his quickest time with a 1m:38.132.

Tenth placed Sutil was on an improved lap but would remain in tenth. Rubens was able to set a personal best in sector one. The top seven drivers were all back in their pits as Rubens continued his improved lap. Nico had also found some time to move up to eleventh, 1m:39.165. Rubens was able to finish his lap with a 1m:38.574 to move into fifth. Nico had dropped to twelfth while Schumacher was down in fifteenth. The F-Duct Williams of Rubens was looking quite strong. As Button moved into third Rubens would drop to sixth. De La Rosa was now eleventh, 1m:39.003. As the period drew to a close Nico continued to find some extra pace and would move from sixteenth to an excellent tenth.

Several drivers had yet to finish their final lap as Rubens was able to again find some pace and would move into fourth with a 1m:38.449. A fantastic effort from Rubens. Schumacher would move into twelfth while those not making the cut were Kobayashi, Trulli, Kovalainen, Di Grassi, Glock, Chandhok, and Senna. At the front it was Kubica from Vettel, Button, Rubens, Alonso, Webber, Massa, Hamilton, Rosberg, Nico, Liuzzi, Schumacher, De la Rosa, Petrov, Sutil, Buemi, and Alguersuari.

The second period of qualifying would get underway with a rush of drivers coming out, including Nico. Would Nico be able to make it into the final period? Drivers were coming out on the harder tyres so it looked like they would be looking to get as many laps as possible. All seventeen cars were out on the track with Massa leading the cars. He would set a time of 1m:38.591 to go fastest with Alguersuari second. But Hamilton and Alonso would move ahead of Massa to be first and second. Massa was now third with Nico fourth, 1m:38.746. Webber was now fastest with a 1m:38.041 pushing Rubens from third to fourth, 1m:38.576. Petrov was now fourth but this would become fifth as Massa moved into second.

The times were all changing as Vettel went fastest with a 1m:38.015. Webber was second from Alonso, Hamilton, Massa, Button, Rubens, Nico, Petrov, and Buemi in tenth. Rosberg was only in eleventh, 1m:38.689, as Kubica moved into third, 1m:38.062. Rubens and Nico were now eighth and ninth as Nico pitted. Vettel, Alonso, Hamilton, Button, and Rubens would also pit. Sixth place Massa would go fastest in sector one and would continue this lap only to abort it and pit. Vettel was back out along with Webber. Liuzzi was also out on the track as everyone else came in to change tyres. Webber would also pit while Alonso came back out. He was joined by Hamilton shortly after with the McLaren driver out on the softer tyre.

Both Williams cars were back out on the harder tyres for their final runs. It would look like they feel that the harder tyre is a better option for their car. Everyone was back out with three minutes remaining and there was a mixture of hard and soft tyres been used. It was going to be a frantic final minute as everyone went for a time. Massa was fastest in sector one while Nico would remain in ninth. Nico's and Rubens last lap would see him on improved times. Buemi remained in eleventh while Massa moved up to third with a time of 1m:38.046. With the end of the period Vettel and Hamilton would pit while Rubens would move up to seventh, 1m:38.326. Nico was still ninth with a time of 1m:38.523.

Those not making the cut were Buemi Rosberg, Sutil, Liuzzi, Schumacher, De la Rosa and Alguersuari. Both Williams cars were in the top ten with the order been Vettel from Webber, Massa, Kubica, Hamilton, Alonso, Rubens, Button, Nico and Petrov in tenth. A great change in form from the Williams team.

With both Williams drivers in the final period it would be Kubica who was waiting to come out first for the ten minute period. He would be followed by several drivers with the Williams drivers waiting and with two minutes completed had yet to come out. Hamilton, Alonso, and Massa were on the softer tyre. Nico would be the first of the Williams drivers to come out as Petrov set a time of 1m:38.822 to be passed by Button and Alonso. Hamilton was now fastest from Vettel and Button. But Webber would go fastest with a 1m:37.852 with Hamilton's time a 1m:37.969. Rubens was also out on the track with neither Williams driver having set a time.

Vettel was third with a time of 1m:38.028. Button was fourth from Massa and Alonso and Petrov. Both Williams drivers were on the softer tyre while other drivers had pitted and started to return to the track. Kubica was down in eighth, 1m:39.381. Nico would move into fifth with a1m:38.428 while Rubens had yet to set a time but would have a poor middle sector while Nico was on another lap. Webber, Hamilton, and Vettel were all abck out as Alonso went fastest in sector one. Rubens was on another lap as the final two minutes counted down. Nico's next lap would not see any improvement to see him still fifth. There was every likelihood that he will drop from this position.

Rubens was on an improved lap as Alonso move dup to fourth, 1m:38.075, while Vettel went fastest in sector one. Rubens was struggling with a 1m:43.505 while Vettel went fastest with a 1m:37.587 from Webber and Hamilton. Several drivers had yet to finish their final lap as Rubens moved into seventh, 1m:38.428, to set exactly the same time as Nico. Webber would improve his time but remained in second with a 1m:37.662. Hamilton was third from Alonso, Massa, Kubica, Button, Nico, Rubens, and in tenth Petrov.

This was great news for the Williams team with the big question now being the race pace of the Williams drivers. This is a real boost for the Williams team as struggling in several races leading up to this weekend. To have both drivers set the same time is equally amazing with it been very encouraging to see Nico find the extra pace that was missing on Friday. Rubens would say that the team was quite happy with the improvements with the car. Rubens added that he felt that he could have been top six had it not been for a problem with his brakes.