The forecast for qualifying for the 2009 British Grand Prix was mainly dry but there was concern over rain falling late in the session. With the Williams pair of Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima finishing first and second in the final practice session the prospects for qualifying were encouraging but it would come down to what fuel loads they were running. Practice had shown that it was taking a few laps before the drivers could get the best from their tyres. The period would get underway with Fisichella first out followed by Kubica and Heidfeld. Bourdais was next out running on the softer tyre.

Other drivers would start to leave the pit lane including Raikkonen, Trulli, Glock, Buemi, and Sutil. Button was out on the track along with Nico and Massa. Fisichella sets the first time with a 1m:21.732 followed by Kubica, 1m:25.145. Heidfeld was now fastest with a 1m:21.431. Kazuki would leave the pit lane with only a handful of drivers still in their pits. Bourdais was now fastest with a 1m:21.105. Sutil was now fastest, 1m:20.860, while Glock moved into second. Bourdais would move to the top with a 1m:20.590. Raikkonen was tenth as Nico's first time was good enough for second, 1m:20.642.

Massa was now third while Trulli went fastest with a 1m:19.915. Glock was now second followed by Bourdais and Nico. Button on the harder tyre was second, 1m:19.967. All twenty cars had come out with some having returned to their pits. Trulli would improve with a 1m:19.356 while Kazuki was now second with a 1m:19.510. But Nico would move to the top with a 1m:19.228. Raikkonen was now fourth but both Barrichello and Alonso would move ahead of him. Trulli was even faster with a 1m:18.886 while Webber moved into second, 1m:19.137. Nico was now third while Vettel moved into fourth and Kazuki fifth. Nico would pit as Barrichello move dup to fifth ahead of Kazuki. Trulli would pit as Webber moved to the top of the times with a 1m,:18.763.

Vettel's next lap would see him move ahead of Webber with a 1m:18.685. Nico was now fourth and Kazuki sixth. Barrichello would move up to sixth seeing Kazuki drop to seventh. Kazuki would pit while Button was eighth. Vettel would pit while Webber was on a quick lap as Alonso moved up to fourth, 1m:19.167. Bourdais was tenth, 1m:19.898. Webber would go quickest with a 1m:18.674. Kovalainen was slowest, the driver who was on pole last year. Heidfeld would go off the road at the exit to Stowe as Piquet moved into tenth. Massa was eighteenth, coming back out on the softer tyre. Webber had pitted. Nico was now fifth and Kazuki seventh.

Kazuki was back out with four and a half minutes remaining. Some big names were in the drop zone including both Ferrari's. Drivers would start to return to the track as Raikkonen moved into sixth, 1m:19.306, running on the softer tyre. Glock was now fifth, 1m:19.198. The top three remained in their pits joined by sixth placed Nico. Raikkonen would improve to be fourth, 1m:19.010, followed by Alonso, Glock, Nico, and Barrichello. Button would improve to be fourth followed by Raikkonen and Massa. Nico was now ninth and Kazuki eleventh. Kazuki's next alp would see him set a time of 1m:18.530 to go fastest.

But the session would be stopped when Sutil would have a major crash at Abbey when his car left the track running backwards into the tyre barrier. The car was very much destroyed. Sutil was able to get out of his car With only twenty four seconds remaining the period was effectively over. Those not making the cut were Fisichella, Bourdais, Sutil, Hamilton, and Buemi. With Kazuki fastest Webber was second followed by Vettel, Trulli, Button, Raikkonen, Massa, Alonso, Glock, Nico, Barrichello, Piquet, Heidfeld, Kubica, and Kovalainen. A good start to the session for the Williams team.

With Sutil's car been removed from the track the final twenty four seconds were allowed to count down but Buemi would come back out but he would not be able to set any time pitting. The second period Q2 would commence with the clouds still over the track. Fist out was Vettel joined by Massa and Webber. Nico would come out earlier joined by Raikkonen. The Ferrari's were on the softer tyre while the Red Bull's were on the harder tyre. Kazuki would also leave the pit lane along with Alonso. Both Brawn cars would come out leaving jus three cars in the pits. Vettel would set the first time with a 1m:24.033 while Massa moved ahead with a 1m:19.257.

Webber was now fastest with a 1m:18.638. Nico was third, 1m:19.819, and Raikkonen fourth. Kovalainen was third pushing Nico to fourth. Kazuki was seventh with a 1m:23.004 as Webber improved with a 1m:18.209. Trulli was now second followed by Alonso and Nico. Kazuki was now twelfth. Kazuki's next lap would see him move in to second with a 1m:18.575. Vettel was third from Trulli, Alonso, and Nico. Webber would pit while Trulli moved up to second, 1m:18.512, running on the softer tyre. Button on the soft tyre was eleventh. Seven and a half minutes remaining with Kazuki now third and Nico seventh.

Barrichello was up to sixth, 1m:18.934. Nico was back in his pit taking a tweak of his front wing. He would come back out as Kazuki pitted. With five minutes left Webber was fastest from Trulli, Kazuki, Vettel, Alonso, Barrichello, Nico, Glock, Raikkonen, Massa, Button, Kubica, Piquet, Heidfeld, and Kovalainen. Nico was on the softer tyre as other drivers also came out including Kazuki. Only Alonso and Webber were still in their pits. Raikkonen was fastest in sector one as Nico moved up to fourth, 1m:18.591. Raikkonen was now third, 1m:18.566, pushing Kazuki and Nico down to fourth and fifth.

Two minutes left and only Webber remained in his pit. Nico would pit as Massa move din to eighth. Button was now seventh, 1m:18.822. Barrichello was now third, 1m:18.355, but was passed by Vettel. Kazuki and Nico were now sixth and seventh. Glock was eighth and Button ninth as the session came to an end. So the order was Webber from Trulli, Vettel, Barrichello, Raikkonen, Kazuki, and Nico. But on his last lap Vettel would move to the top of the times with a 1m:18.119. With the end of the period the top ten was Vettel from Webber, Trulli, Barrichello, Raikkonen, Kazuki, Nico, Button, Alonso, and Glock. Those not making the cut were Massa, Kubica, Kovalainen, Piquet, and Heidfeld. Another great performance from both Kazuki and Nico with both making it into the final
period.

The final ten minute period would commence with both Williams drivers taking part. The drivers would take to the track with Barrichello first out followed by Vettel. Alonso was yet to come out but with eight minutes remaining he would join the other drivers. Barrichello was on the softer tyre and would set the first time, 1m:21.417, to go fastest. But Vettel would go fastest followed by Button, Trulli, Raikkonen, Glock, and Barrichello. Kazuki and Nico were seventh and eighth.

Barrichello would go fastest, 1m:20.536, but Vettel would improve with a 1m:20.440 to answer Rubens. Webber was now fastest with a 1m:20.040, while Nico had moved in to fourth followed by Button, Trulli, Raikkonen, Glock, Alonso, and Kazuki. Barrichello would pit with four minutes left. Nico and several other drivers would pit with the drivers continuing to run on the softer tyres. All were back out on the track for their final efforts. Two and a half minutes left and Kazuki was on an improved lap. So was Raikkonen and Barrichello. Vettel was fastest in sector one. Barrichello was fastest in sector two but Vettel would go faster. Barrichello was now fastest with a 1m:19.856 but Vettel would go faster with a 1m:19.509.

Webber was now third followed by Trulli, Button, Nico, Glock, Raikkonen, Alonso, and Kazuki. On their last lap several drivers were looking to improve their times. Vettel and Barrichello would pit as Webber stayed in third. Trulli was fourth as Kazuki moved up to fifth from tenth, 1m:20.216. Button was now sixth and Nico seventh. So the final order was Vettel from Barrichello, Webber, Trulli, Kazuki, Button, Nico, Glock, Raikkonen, and Alonso.

With Kazuki out-qualifying team-mate Nico for the first time and the pair in fifth and seventh it was a great result for the AT&T Williams team. A great effort from both drivers and the team with the continued developments that they have been able to put onto the car. Now it is down to what fuel loads the Williams drivers were running.