Korean GP: Williams 10th & 11th after qualifying

With AT&T Williams drivers finishing in eighth and thirteenth after the final Saturday practice qualifying for the 2010 Korean Grand Prix would be an interesting time for both Nico Hulkenberg and Rubens Barrichello. Kovalainen would be the first driver out on the track for the first twenty minute period. Nico would take to the track early in the period along with a rush of other drivers. Rubens was now also out on the track leaving just the two McLaren, Red Bull, and Ferrari's cars still in their pits.

Alonso would be the first of the title contenders to take to the track. Kovalainen would set a 1m:45.450, running on the softer tyres. Massa and Hamilton were now out on the track. Kobayashi was now fastest but was beaten by Alguersuari with a 1m:41.270. Kobayashi was second from Heidfeld, Petrov, and Nico. Schumacher was now fastest with a time of 1m:40.557. Nico was now sixth, 1m:43.206, while Rubens was down in tenth, 1m:45.456. Nico would move to the top of the times with a 1m:39.937 but he was beaten by Alguersuari, Kobayashi, and Petrov. Alguersuari's time was a 1m:39.690. Schumacher was now fifth while Rubens had dropped to eleventh, 1m:43.462. Hamilton would go fastest by a big margin with a time of 1m:38.677 but he was passed by Nico and Kobayashi, with Nico faste4st with a time of 1m:38.561. Petrov was now fourth while Rubens was up to eighth,
1m:39.207.

Rosberg was now fastest with a 1m:38.178 but as the track improved the times came down and Hamilton would go fastest, 1m:37.517, and Massa now second. Nico was now fourth and had pitted while Rubens was down in twelfth. Alonso was now fastest with a 1m:37.395. Rosberg would improve to be third, 1m:37.708, but Massa would move ahead of the Mercedes. Nico was now in seventh while Rubens was twelfth and had joined Nico in the pits. Vettel was up to second, 1m:37.487, while Webber was now sixth. Nico was back out on the track as Webber improved his time with a 1m:37.834 but remained in
sixth.

Hamilton would return to the top of the times with a 1m:37.113. Rubens had also come back out as Vettel improved to be second with a lap of 1m:37.123. Kubica had yet to set a time while Button was looking to improve from fourteenth. Hamilton and Vettel had both pitted, joined by Alonso. Button could only find time for a lap to see him tenth while Webber would move up to fourth, 1m:37.373.

Kubica's first time would see him in eleventh, 1m:38.823. Rubens had dropped to fourteenth while we had the top six back in their pits. But third placed Alonso would head back out while Heidfeld would move up to eleventh. Petrov was now seventh, 1m:38.174, while Nico was still in eighth. Both drivers had set improved times while Rubens would also find time jumping to eighth from sixteenth, 1m:38.257. Nico was now in seventh with a time of 1m:38.115, but Schumacher would take this spot. Kubica was up to sixth, 1m:37.703, as the period came to an end. Schumacher was now eighth followed by Nico, Button, Heidfeld, Petrov, and Rubens in thirteenth. Nico was looking like he would made it
into the final ten but for Rubens it was still going to be hard work to join his team-mate.

Those not making the cut were Liuzzi, Trulli, Glock, Kovalainen, Di Grassi, Yamamoto, and Senna. At the front it would be Hamilton from Vettel, Alonso, Webber, Massa and Kubica.

The second fifteen minute period would see the drivers return lead by Alguersuari. Nico would take to the track early joined by Rubens. We only had the Sauber's yet to take to the track with thirteen minutes remaining. Nico was out on the softer tyre while Alonso was on the harder tyre. Alguersuari would set a 1m:39.234 while Massa was second with a 1m:42.142. Nico would go fastest with a 1m:38.058. Vettel would go fastest with a 1m:37.224 with Nico second from Sutil, Buemi, Kubica, and Alguersuari. Alonso was now fastest with a 1m:37.096 seeing Nico drop to fifth. Rubens was down in twelfth, 1m:42.103. Massa would go fastest with a 1m:36.672 on the softer tyre.

Vettel was again fastest with a 1m:37.457 while Hamilton could only manage third on the harder tyres, 1m:36.747. Webber was now second, 1m:36.581, while Rubens had improved to be tenth, 1m:37.568, while Nico had dropped to twelfth and had pitted. Vettel would pit joining Massa. Button was down in ninth as more drivers pitted leaving just Rosberg out on the track. Vettel was fastest from team-mate Webber in second, Alonso third, Massa fourth, Hamilton fifth and Rosberg in sixth position. The two Sauber's had yet to set a time and they would take to the track for their soft tyre runs. Kubica was also back out joined by Alonso. Massa was also back out joined by Button.

Nico was back out on the track joined by Rubens. Only Buemi was still in his pit with three and a half minutes remaining. He would also come out with all seventeen cars out on the track. Heidfeld and Kobayashi were now sixteenth and seventeen. Alonso would go fastest with a 1m:36.287 while Heidfeld improved to be thirteenth. Button would improve slightly to be seventh, 1m:37.064. Massa would go fastest with a time of 1m:36.169, from Alonso and Vettel. Rubens and Nico were tenth and eleventh while at the front Vettel would go fastest with a 1m:36.074 but he was beaten by Webber with a 1m:36.039. Nico would pit as the period came to a close. A big surprise to see Nico not make it into the final period but Rubens did. Nico would have a moment that saw him run wide ruining his final lap.

So the top ten was Webber from Vettel, Massa, Hamilton, Alonso, Rosberg, Button, Schumacher, Kubica, and Rubens in tenth. Those not making the cut were Nico, Kobayashi, Heidfeld, Sutil, Petrov, Alguersuari, and Buemi.

The third ten minute period would see Webber the first driver out onto the circuit running on a set of soft tyres. Hamilton, Button and Alonso would join him out on the track. Rubens was also out on the track with just Schumacher, Rosberg, and Massa still in their pits. Hamilton would set a 1m:36.167 to be faste3st but he was passed by Alonso with a 1m:35.927. Kubica was now third from Webber, Button, Rubens, and Vettel. Massa was now out on the track while Vettel moved up to second with a 1m:36.000. Button had run wide ruining his lap while we would start to see the first of the pit stops.

Hamilton would have the back end of his car kick out on his run into the pit lane. A close call while Webber would return to the track. Alonso was also back out along with Rubens. So after the first series of times it was Alonso heading the order with Vettel second, Hamilton third, Kubica fourth, Webber fifth and Button in sixth. Massa was now fourth, 1m:36.571 while Vettel would be the last car to return to the track. Both Mercedes cars were out for a single run on the softer tyre. Massa had pitted while Webber was on his flying lap and would cross the line to move up to second, 1m:35.973. Alonso would improve with a 1m:35.766 to remain fastest.

Vettel was third while Hamilton could only manage fourth as the period came to an end. Webber was on another lap while Vettel would go fastest with a 1m:35.585 while Webber could not improve on his second setting a time of 1m:35.659. Alonso was third from Hamilton, Rosberg, Massa, Button, Kubica, Schumacher, and Rubens down in tenth. So Sunday's race will see the AT&T Williams team have their drivers start from tenth and eleventh with Rubens leading Nico. Not a fantastic result for the Williams team but is does put them in a position to look to secure another points scoring finish which should see them finally move ahead of Force India.

Rubens would comment after qualifying saying that "we are not having the car we assumed we would have but there are lots of things that can happen in the race and we would like to score some points".