Rosberg & Wurz 10th & 11th in Bahrain Qualifying

With both Nico and Alex failing to make the top ten in the last practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying was going to be an uncertain affair for the Williams team. The opening minutes of the first period of qualifying would see Davidson fastest, 1m:33.403, with seven minutes remaining. Liuzzi was in second followed by Fisichella. Nico was in ninth, 1m:34.470, and Alex twelfth. Kovalainen and Webber were in fourth and fifth. With six minutes remaining Hamilton would go fastest with a 1m:32.580. Davidson was still in second and Barrichello third.

Alonso was on a flyer and would move into second, 1m:33.049, and Heidfeld third. Nico was back out on track. Massa was now fastest, 1m:32.443. Kubica was now in sixth. Davidson was still an amazing fifth. Both McLaren's would pit. The Ferrari of Massa was on the harder tyre. Raikkonen was now fourth. Nico was down in sixteenth and Alex nineteenth with just over two minutes left in the session. Alex was back out while Nico was on a better lap and he would move into seventh, 1m:33.349.

Nico was on the softer option tyre. Alex was still in trouble as the session drew to a close. Alex was putting in a last minute lap and was setting a personal best time in the opening two sectors. Alex was able to finish in thirteenth with a 1m:33.759 to pull himself out of the relegation zone. Those failing to make the cut were Sato, Liuzzi, Speed, Sutil, Coulthard, and Albers. At the front it was Massa from Hamilton, Alonso, Raikkonen, Heidfeld, Trulli, Davidson, Kubica, Nico, and Kovalainen in tenth..

Both of the Williams drivers made it through into the second period of qualifying but with Alex down in thirteenth it was not looking good for Alex to make it through into the final period. Even Nico was in a difficult position only having set the ninth fastest time.

With the start of the period there was not the usual rush of cars coming out. Ralf
would be first out followed by Trulli and Alex. The second Williams of Nico was next out. With twelve minutes left there was a further group of drivers coming out. Ten minutes remaining and no one had set a time. This would go to Ralf with a 1m:33.294. Trulli would pass him with a 1m:32.853. Alex was third with a 1m:33.713. Nico was now second, 1m:33.063. Webber went fastest but was passed by Heidfeld with a time of 1m:32.233.

Nico was now in fourth but Alex had been pushed down to ninth. Hamilton was now fastest with a 1m:31.732. Only the two Ferrari's had yet to come out. Massa would be the first to come out. All the drivers were out on the softer tyres. Both Nico and Alex had pitted. Davidson was in sixth, 1m:33.082. Nico was in fifth. Alex was in tenth and with four drivers yet to set a time looking like he would not make it through into period three. Alonso was now third, 1m:32.214 and Kubica fourth, 1m:32.292.

Nico was in seventh and Alex twelfth. Alex again was struggling to get a quick lap time from his car. Massa was fastest with a 1m:31.359 and Raikkonen third. Slowest were the two Honda's. Alex was down in fourteenth. Nico was in ninth. Alex was back out looking to improve. He would be joined by both Honda's. Nico was also back out for his final run. All except the top six runners weer back out. Alex was again on the softer tyres. Both Alex and Nico were on a quicker lap. Alex would move into ninth, 1m:32.915. Nico was now in eleventh. But Alex would be pushed down into eleventh. Nico was in ninth, 1m:32.815.

With the end of the period Nico was able to remain in ninth but Alex was down in eleventh and out. Those failing to make the cut were Alex, Kovalainen, Davidson, Schumacher, Barrichello, and Button.

With Nico setting the ninth fastest time in period two the start of period three would see Hamilton lined up at the exit of the pit lane with hard tyres fitted. Behind him were the BMW's followed by the Ferrari's. With the start of the period all the drivers would take to the track. Nico was following Webber around the track on the softer tyres. Nico was told to stay up with Webber.

The drivers would start the process of burning off fuel. Hamilton was fastest with a 1m:34.206, followed by Massa and Heidfeld. Nico was down in eighth. He would improve to be in seventh but no one had yet to pit to take on new tyres. That would go to Heidfeld who would come in first. There would be a rush of drivers, including Nico, to pit. Hamilton was now on the softer tyres as was Massa. Everyone was back out and looking to set a quick time.

Massa would set the first quick time with a 1m:33.090 followed by Hamilton and Raikkonen. Kubica and Heidfeld were in fourth and fifth. Nico was in seventh. Alonso would move into fourth, 1m:33.655. With three minutes remaining the drivers would pit again. Massa was on a very quick time been fastest in the first two sectors. He would finish with a 1m:32.652. Hamilton was still in second, 1m:32.935. Raikkonen was in third followed by Alonso, Heidfeld, Kubica, Fisichella, Webber, Trulli, and Nico in tenth with the end of qualifying. For the Williams team tenth and eleventh is probably where they should have finished given their practice performances.