German GP: Another competitive qualifying from Williams

The lead-up to qualifying for the 2010 German Grand Prix would see the team having to cope with continued wet weather. Saturday would see rain in the morning but at least the qualifying session would commence in the dry but with clouds over the circuit. AT&T Williams drivers Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg would finish the final practice in eighth and tenth so it was looking promising for both cars to make it into the final period. Nico was advised by the team that it should be dry throughout qualifying.

The opening twenty minute would commence with Di Grassi out first. He was joined by Alonso and Petrov. Both Mercedes cars would come out along with both Force India cars, Massa, and Hamilton. Nico would also take to the track joined shortly after by Rubens. Petrov would set the first time with a 1m:18.210 but was beaten by Alonso with a 1m:17.665. Massa was now fastest with a 1m:16.908. Liuzzi was down in fourth but Schumacher would move ahead of him while Hamilton would move into second, 1m:17.140. Alonso would return to the top of the times with a 1m:16.430. Button was now third and Hamilton fourth. Kubica was in fifth while Nico was in sixth, 1m:17.730. Rosberg was down in twelfth but the period would be stopped with a big crash from Liuzzi when he ran wide coming out of the final corner and spinning across the track and into the pit lane barrier. There would be a large amount of damage to his car with the front left wheel ripped off. There was debris all over the track.

The track would be empty as the damaged Force India was craned away. Only twelve drivers had set a time with Alonso fastest from Massa, Button, Hamilton, Kubica, Nico, Buemi, Schumacher, Petrov, and Sutil in tenth. Sutil was facing a five grid place penalty due to a gearbox change prior to qualifying. The period would restart with Trulli first out in the Lotus. Both Red Bull Cars would take to the track along with Rubens, Hamilton, Glock, and Senna. The tyre of choice was the prime tyre with twelve minutes remaining. Button was now out on the track as Kovalainen and Trulli moved up to tenth and eleventh. Webber was now fastest with a 1m:16.024. But Hamilton would move ahead with a 1m:15.505. Alguersuari was up to fourth, 1m:16.756, while Rubens had moved up to seventh, 1m:17.271. Vettel was now second, 1m:15.881, seeing Rubens drop to eighth. Nico was still in his pit and currently tenth.

Kobayashi would move up to fourth, 1m:16.332, while Hamilton would pit. De la Rosa was seventh while Vettel would move to the top of the times again with a 1m:15.152. Hamilton was second from Button, Webber, and Kobayashi. But Kobayashi was able to move ahead of Webber while Rubens was in seventh. Nico was now in thirteenth and back out on the track. Webber was able to move into second, 1m:15.334, while Rubens would pit. Alonso would find time going into second, 1m:15.281, while team-mate Massa was in fifth. Button was down in sixth while Rosberg would move up to eighth. Rubens was now in ninth while Nico was able to get up to twelfth, 1m:16.737. Massa had run wide at Turn one while Alonso would set a stunning time with a 1m:14.808 to go fastest.

Nico was now up into tenth with a 1m:16.387 and Rubens now in eleventh. Massa was also able to improve moving up to third with a time of 1m:15.216. Schumacher was up to eighth while we now had Nico and Rubens in twelfth and thirteenth. Both drivers were in the pits with three minutes left in the period. This would become thirteenth and fourteenth as Buemi moved up to ninth. Kubica was now in sixth, 1m:15.736, while most of the field were sitting in their pits. The period would end with both Williams drivers remaining in their pits. Those not making the cut were Trulli, Kovalainen, Glock, Senna, Liuzzi, Yamamoto, and Di Grassi. At the top of the times it was Alonso fastest from Vettel, Massa, Webber, Hamilton, Kubica, Button, Kobayashi, Buemi, Schumacher, Rosberg, Sutil, Nico, Rubens, De la Rosa, Petrov, and finally Alguersuari.

The second period would commence with the Red Bull cars out first followed by others including Both McLaren's, Rubens, Petrov, Nico, both Torro Rosso cars. Both Red Bull cars weer still on the harder tyres along with Alonso. The McLaren's were also on the prime tyre. But Rubens was out on the softer tyre along with Massa. As the times came in Webber was fastest with a 1m:15.323 from Hamilton, Rubens, Button, Petrov, and Nico in sixth. Alonso was now fastest with time of 1m:14.664 with Vettel now second, 1m:14.807. Kubica was now in third from Webber and Hamilton. Rubens was now in sixth and Nico tenth.

Massa would put in quick time on the softer tyre with a 1m:14.607 as Vettel pitted. Rubens was now in seventh and Nico twelfth. Kobayashi would jump up to sixth, 1m:15.084. Nico was now in fourteenth but on his next lap he would improve with a 1m:15.153 to be seventh. Rubens was now in ninth, 1m:15.255. Webber was up to third, 1m:14.702. Kubica was up to sixth, 1m:15.001, while Nico was now eighth. Both Rubens and Nico would pit with Rubens now in tenth. Massa would go fastest again with a 1m:14.478 with just Massa and Buemi now on the track. Massa would pit as Alguersuari came back out. Alonso was next out with both Mercedes cars outside the top ten. Vettel was back out on the track running on the softer tyre. Both Nico and Rubens were back out again on the softer tyre.

Alonso was on a quick lap fastest in sector one and three to complete his lap with a 1m:14.081 to again be fastest. Only Massa was in the pits with three minutes remaining. Vettel was up to second, 1m:14.333, while Rubens was on an improved lap. He would move up to fifth, 1m:14.869, but Button would move ahead while Nico was in tenth. Hamilton was now fourth, 1m:14.488, while Rubens had dropped to seventh. Nico was just in the top ten while Petrov moved up to eleventh. As the final minute counted down Schumacher would move up to ninth seeing Nico drop to twelfth. Rosberg would take this spot from Schumacher as the period came to an end. Nico was on another lap as Rubens moved up to sixth, 1m:14.698, while Nico would move up to ninth, 1m:14.943. As a result Schumacher would be pushed out of the top ten.

With the end of the period those not making into through were Schumacher, Kobayashi, Petrov, Sutil, De la Rosa, Alguersuari, and Buemi. The top ten was Alonso from Vettel, Webber, Massa, Hamilton, Rubens, Button, Kubica, Nico, and Rosberg in tenth.

The final ten minute would see Webber straight out followed by Button, Hamilton and Massa. Rosberg and Rubens would also come out while Nico remained in his pit. Vettel was one of the last out as Webber set a time of 1m:14.347 to go fastest with Hamilton second from Massa, Button , and Rosberg. Alonso was even faster moving into the 1m:13 second bracket with a 1m:13.927. Hamilton would pit while Nico had still yet come out.

Rubens was down in ninth with a time of 1m:16.320 while Vettel moved up to second, 1m:13.961. Nico would finally come out as the majority of the ten were back in their pits. Only the two Williams cars were out on the track with just under four minutes remaining. The Williams team had decided to give Nico just one lap during the period. Nico would only manage a time that would see him in ninth, 1m:15.765, while the others were returning to the track.

Only Kubica was still in his pit but he would come out as Nico moved up to eighth, 1m:15.339. With the end of the period drivers were able to complete their last lap with Vettel going fastest with a 1m:13.791, while Rubens had moved up to eighth with a 1m:15.109. Alonso would complete his lap but would just fail to beat Vettel setting a time of 1m:13.793 to be just 0.002 behind Vettel. Massa was in fourth from Webber, Button, Hamilton, Kubica, Rubens, Rosberg, and Nico in tenth. Webber's final lap was ruined by a mistake and he backed off returning to his pit. A great effort from both Williams drivers with the pair again in the top ten this time after qualifying.

In an interview after the session Rubens would comment saying that he was quite happy with his car and the improvements that the Williams team were bringing to the car. He added that the Hockenheimring circuit is one that aerodynamically you have to have a good car. But he found that as the sun came out he picked up some understeer which affected his times. He was asked if he could see more improvements coming from the car and Rubens added that he was quite happy with the way things were going.