After the final practice session for the 2008 British Grand Prix the AT&T
Williams team would see its driver, Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima, in
thirteenth and sixteenth positions. But the session was such an unpredictable hour with the track starting off wet and dying during the session. The times were to tumble during the hour as a dry line appeared. For the Williams team little could be drawn from the times that were set so going into qualifying it was a bit of an unknown.

With clouds hanging over the track it would be Vettel and Nakajima first out in the twenty minute Q1. They were joined by Nico, both McLaren's, and several other drivers. Everyone was obviously concerned by the possibility of rain. Everyone was out on the track with the first time going to Kazuki with a 1m:22.272. He was passed by Vettel. Nico was now second with a 1m:22.248. Hamilton was now fastest with a 1m:21.287. He was passed by team-mate Kovalainen, 1m:21.122. Webber was in third. Nico and Kazuki were dropping down the order been in twelfth and thirteenth. Kazuki would pit as Alonso went fastest with a 1m:20.998.

Hamilton was now fastest with a 1m:20.288 and Webber second. Heidfeld was now fourth, 1m:21.022. Alonso would pit. Massa was now second with a 1m:20.894. Hamilton would also pit. Nico and Kazuki were also in their pits. Webber had pitted. The Williams drivers would come back out with just over twelve minutes remaining. Raikkonen was now second with a 1m:20.370. Massa was still in third. But it would be Kovalainen who would go fastest with a 1m:19.957, setting his time on the harder tyre.

Vettel would jump up to third, 1m:20.318, with half the session complete. His time was set on the softer tyre. Nico was also running on the softer tyre. Kazuki was now in twelfth, 1m:21.407. Nico was not able to improve being down in sixteenth, 1m:21.668. He would pit again while Bourdais improved to now be in eleventh. The top seven drivers were all in their pits as Trulli moved up to be in tenth. Fifth placed Massa was back out as Kubica moved into fifth with a 1m:20.444.

Kazuki had also pitted with six minutes remaining. It was now raining as Kazuki came back out. Kazuki and Nico were in fifteenth and seventeenth. The rain was only on certain parts of the track as everyone returned to their pits as they waited to see how things would turn out. Nico was complaining about slow speed oversteer and how the car was bouncing about. Kazuki had a moment at Vale taking to the grass. With two minutes remaining it was not looking good for Nico who was currently in the drop off zone.

The final minutes counting down drivers were coming back out for their final runs. Nico was out of his car his qualifying over. He looked far from happy with the situation. It was really turning out to be another one of those frustrating times for the Williams team. Bourdais had improved to now be in sixth, 1m:20.584. Why was Nico not back out when Bourdais was able to improve his time. An extraordinary decision by the Williams team. As the period ended it was Kovalainen from Hamilton, Vettel, Raikkonen, Kubica, Bourdais, Massa, Piquet, Glock, and Webber in tenth.

With Nico not making the cut; joined by Barrichello, Button, Sutil, and Fisichella, the second period of qualifying would commence. From replays it seemed that Nico was having a suspension problem with his car that forced the team to take the decision not to send Nico back out.

The second fifteen minute period would get underway with the sun shining. It would be Alonso first out, joined by Raikkonen and Glock. Kazuki would also leave the pit lane. Only the BMW's were still in the pits. Alonso would set a time of 1m:20.336. Nico would say that the car was jumping all over the place and that they have been having the problem all weekend. But they have not been able to find out was exactly causing it despite changing parts on the car. Hamilton was now fastest with a 1m:19.537 followed by Kovalainen, Webber, Raikkonen, Massa, and Alonso.

Hamilton was on the softer tyre. Kazuki was on the harder tyre and was currently thirteenth with a 1m:22.009. The BMW's were both on the track but had yet to set a time. Kazuki had pitted with five minutes remaining. Kubica's first lap was a 1m:19.788 seeing him now in third. Heidfeld was now fourth, 1m:19.802. Kazuki was now fifteenth. With the final minutes counting down it would be a rush by the drivers to put in another lap. Out they would come with only the top four staying in the pits.

They were coming out on the softer tyre as the final minute started. Webber was in fifth followed by Raikkonen. Alonso would take Kimi's sixth spot as Webber moved up to third, 1m:19.710. Kazuki was down in fifteenth and out of qualifying. Those not making the cut were Coulthard, Glock, Bourdais, Trulli, and Kazuki. At the top the order was Hamilton from Kovalainen, Webber, Kubica, Heidfeld, Raikkonen, Alonso, Massa, Vettel, and Piquet in tenth.

The final ten minute period in qualifying would get underway with McLaren looking dominate and Ferrari struggling to challenge their times. The sun would continue to shine as the period started. With two minute run no one had taken to the track. It would be Raikkonen first out . He would be followed by everyone except for Vettel.

Raikkonen was on the softer tyre. Hamilton was also on the softer tyre. Vettel was still in his pit as Raikkonen's first lap was very messy. He would set a time of 1m:22.519. Alonso was second followed by Webber, Piquet, Hamilton. Heidfeld was now third with a 1m:23.116. Hamilton would have an off track moment taking to the gravel. He was able to continue. Kovalainen was now fastest with a 1m:22.230. Raikkonen was still in second followed by Alonso, Heidfeld, Massa, Webber, Piquet, and Hamilton. Kubica had also gone off the track as several drivers would pit for new tyres.

Vettel had taken to the track as Kubica remained in his garage. He would get out of his car ending his qualifying. Raikkonen would go fastest with a 1m:21.706. Hamilton was now in second, 1m:21.835. But it would be Webber who went fastest with a 1m:21.554. The period would end with Kovalainen taking the top spot on his final lap with a 1m:21.049.

So it would be a pole for Kovalainen followed by Webber, Raikkonen, Hamilton, Heidfeld, Alonso, Piquet, Vettel, Massa, and in tenth Kubica. This would be Kovalainen's first pole of his Formula One career. For the Williams team they will be starting the race from fifteenth and eighteenth with Kazuki ahead of team-mate Nico. It was another disappointing performance from the team as the struggled to come to grips with the troublesome FW30. But with rain forecast for the race anything could happen.