With the track drying quite quickly qualifying for the 2008 Japanese Grand Prix would commence with the opening twenty minute period seeing both Williams drivers come out early. Everyo9ne was on the dry tyre despite there being a few damp patches. Both Kazuki and Nico would come out on the harder tyre. Piquet would go fastest with a 1m:19.286 with Nico second, 1m:19.740. Trulli was now third as Glock moved into second, 1m:19.624. Nico was now third followed by Trulli, Kazuki, Button, and Fisichella. Piquet would pit, joined by Nico.

Glock was now fastest with a 1m:19.010. Trulli was now second, 1m:19.191. With most of the field out on the track it would be Massa who was now fastest with a 1m:18.727. Kazuki had pitted. Bourdais was now sixth and Barrichello seventh. Vettel was now fifth, 1m:19.288. Glock had improved with a 1m:18.932 but remained in second. But Hamilton would move ahead of Massa with a 1m:18.232. Nico was now tenth and Kazuki twelfth. Kovalainen was now fourth, 1m:19.053. The track was improving all the time as Hamilton pitted. Raikkonen was now third, 1m:18.817. Nico was now eleventh and Kazuki thirteenth. With jus over ten minutes remaining it was changing rapidly with Kovalainen now third, 1m:18.776. Nico and Kazuki were back out as the sun started to shine.

Kubica was now sixth, 1m:19.038. On his first lap Alonso would move up to sixth, 1m:18.961. Only Heidfeld had yet to set a time as Massa pitted. On his next lap Piquet would move into second, 1m:18.300. Kazuki had improved to sixth, 1m:18.866. Nico was in thirteenth. Trulli would improve to now be in fourth, 1m:18.614. Kovalainen and Raikkonen had pitted. Heidfeld was now fourteenth, 1m:19.248. Nico was back in the pits having dropped to seventeenth. Kazuki was in eighth. Coulthard would move up the order to be fourth, 1m:18.540. Kovalainen was now sixth as Glock went fastest with a 1m:18.138, moving up from eleventh. Only two drivers were on the track as the final five minutes counted down.

Massa was now fourth, 1m:18.523. There was a rush of drivers coming back out, including both Ferrari's and McLaren's. Kovalainen's next lap would see him in second with a 1m:18.220. Nico was back out looking to improve on his seventeenth. Kazuki was also out on the track with two minutes remaining. It was all going to change in the final minutes. Only Piquet remained in the pits. Massa was now fastest, 1m:18.110, but Hamilton would move ahead with a 1m:18.071. Glock would respond with a 1m:17.945, to go fastest.

As the session came to an end Kazuki was in fourteenth and Nico eighteenth but both were on their final laps. Raikkonen was now fourth, 1m:18.160. Kazuki would improve to thirteenth, 1m:18.640, and Nico fifteenth, 1m:18.740. At the front it was Glock from Hamilton, Massa, Raikkonen, Kovalainen, Alonso, Piquet, Coulthard, Webber, and Trulli in tenth. Those not making the cut were Heidfeld, Barrichello, Button, Sutil, and Fisichella. The Williams' drivers only just made it into Q2. It would be surprising if they would go beyond this period and into Q3. But again Kazuki was ahead of Nico.

Q2 would see the track mostly dry as the lights went green. Raikkonen was first out on the harder tyre. Next was Massa on the softer tyre. Glock was also on the soft tyre. Trulli and Hamilton were also out of the pit lane, joined shortly after by Webber and Bourdais. With ten minutes remaining only Kubica and the two Williams drivers had yet to come out. Raikkonen was fastest, 1m:17.733, but Massa would move ahead with a 1m:17.287. Glock was third with a 1m:17.952. Trulli would move ahead of Glock with a 1m:17.756. Hamilton would move into second with a 1m:17.462. Bourdais was sixth, 1m:18.102. Massa and Raikkonen would both pit.

Vettel was now fifth, 1m:17.925. Everyone was now out on the track as Hamilton pitted. Kovalainen was now third, 1m:17.563. Alonso was down in ninth followed by Coulthard. Kazuki and Nico were down in twelfth and thirteenth with 1m:18.594 and 1m:18.920 respectively. Kazuki was on the softer tyre. Kubica and Piquet had yet to set a time. Both Nico and Kazuki would pit. With five minutes remaining only three drivers were out on the track as Kubica moved into seventh, 1m:17.931. He was also on the softer tyre. Four minutes and Kovalainen was third, 1m:17.563. Piquet was on the softer tyre as Kovalainen improved to be in second with a 1m:17.360. Now everyone started to come back out.

Nico and Kazuki were also out as Piquet moved into twelfth, 1m:18.274. Massa and Hamilton remained in their pits. Kovalainen would pit as the final minute of the session started. Nico was on the softer tyre as was on a quick lap. But would it be enough? No as Nico remained in fifteenth, 1m:18.672. Kazuki would stay in fourteenth. Trulli had moved up to fourth followed by Glock. With the end of the period it was all over for the Williams team. Massa was fastest from Kovalainen, Hamilton, Trulli, Glock, Vettel, Raikkonen, Alonso, Kubica, and in tenth Bourdais. Those not making the cut were Coulthard, Piquet, Webber, Kazuki, and Nico. But again Kazuki was able to finish ahead of Nico. Sunday's race would again be another difficult time for the Williams team.

The final period qualifying would commence with Glock out first with there being a mix of tyre choices from the drivers. Everyone was out on the track with Raikkonen setting the first time with a 1m:18.890. Glock was second, 1m:19.623. Massa would move ahead of the Toyota, 1m:19.137. Vettel was fourth followed by team-mate Bourdais. Hamilton was now third with a 1m:19.163. Alonso was now fifth, 1m:19.640. Kimi would pit as Kovalainen moved into fourth, 1m:19.167.

Massa and Hamilton would pit. With three minutes remaining Raikkonen was still fastest from Massa and Hamilton. The top four were back out on the track. Kovalainen would pit. Kubica was in fifth, 1m:19.473. Everyone was back out for the final two minutes as Raikkonen went fastest in sector one. Hamilton was also on a quick lap going fastest in sector one. Raikkonen would improve with a 1m:18.644. Hamilton would move ahead of Raikkonen with a 1m:18.404. Massa was now third, 1m:18.874. Alonso was now third, 1m:18.852, pushing Massa down to fifth. Kovalainen had moved into third, 1m:18.821. Alonso was now fourth and Massa fifth. Kubica was now sixth followed by Trulli, Glock, Vettel and Bourdais.

For the Williams team the result was a big disappointment after Singapore. With Kazuki and Nico starting from fourteenth and fifteenth, as in previous races, it would all come down to the strategy and a big piece of luck as to what result the Williams team can take away from Sunday's race.