| pos | name | nat. | constructor/engine | time * | session | diff [s] | diff [%] |
| 1 | VET | Sebastian Vettel (5) | D |  | Red Bull/Renault | 1'29.615 | 3 | --- | --- |
| 2 | WEB | Mark Webber (6) | AUS |  | Red Bull/Renault | 1'29.758 | 3 | 0.143 | 0.160 |
| 3 | ALO | Fernando Alonso (8) | E |  | Ferrari | 1'30.426 | 3 | 0.811 | 0.905 |
| 4 | HAM | Lewis Hamilton (2) | GB |  | McLaren/Mercedes | 1'30.556 | 3 | 0.941 | 1.050 |
| 5 | ROS | Nico Rosberg (4) | D |  | Mercedes | 1'30.625 | 3 | 1.010 | 1.127 |
| 6 | KUB | Robert Kubica (11) | PL |  | Renault | 1'31.040 | 3 | 1.425 | 1.590 |
| 7 | MAS | Felipe Massa (7) | BR |  | Ferrari | 1'31.172 | 3 | 1.557 | 1.737 |
| 8 | BAR | Rubens Barrichello (9) | BR |  | Williams/Cosworth | 1'31.175 | 3 | 1.560 | 1.741 |
| 9 | DLR | Pedro de la Rosa (22) | E |  | BMW Sauber/Ferrari | 1'31.274 | 3 | 1.659 | 1.851 |
| 10 | MSC | Michael Schumacher (3) | D |  | Mercedes | 1'31.430 | 3 | 1.815 | 2.025 |
| 11 | SUT | Adrian Sutil (14) | D |  | Force India/Mercedes | 1'31.399 | 2 | 1.784 | 1.991 |
| 12 | KOB | Kamui Kobayashi (23) | J |  | BMW Sauber/Ferrari | 1'31.421 | 2 | 1.806 | 2.015 |
| 13 | HUL | Nico Hülkenberg (10) | D |  | Williams/Cosworth | 1'31.635 | 2 | 2.020 | 2.254 |
| 14 | BUT | Jenson Button (1) | GB |  | McLaren/Mercedes | 1'31.699 | 2 | 2.084 | 2.326 |
| 15 | PET | Vitaly Petrov (12) | RUS |  | Renault | 1'31.796 | 2 | 2.181 | 2.434 |
| 16 | BUE | Sébastien Buemi (16) | CH |  | Toro Rosso/Ferrari | 1'32.012 | 2 | 2.397 | 2.675 |
| 17 | ALG | Jaime Alguersuari (17) | E |  | Toro Rosso/Ferrari | 1'32.430 | 1 | 2.815 | 3.141 |
| 18 | KOV | Heikki Kovalainen (19) | FIN |  | Lotus/Cosworth | 1'34.405 | 1 | 4.790 | 5.345 |
| 19 | GLO | Timo Glock (24) | D |  | Virgin/Cosworth | 1'34.775 | 1 | 5.160 | 5.758 |
| 20* | LIU | Vitantonio Liuzzi (15) | I |  | Force India/Mercedes | 1'31.708 | 2 | 2.093 | 2.336 |
| 21 | TRU | Jarno Trulli (18) | I |  | Lotus/Cosworth | 1'34.864 | 1 | 5.249 | 5.857 |
| 22 | DIG | Lucas Di Grassi (25) | BR |  | Virgin/Cosworth | 1'35.212 | 1 | 5.597 | 6.246 |
| 23 | CHA | Karun Chandhok (20) | IND |  | HRT/Cosworth | 1'36.576 | 1 | 6.961 | 7.768 |
| 24 | YAM | Sakon Yamamoto (21) | J |  | HRT/Cosworth | 1'36.968 | 1 | 7.353 | 8.205 |
| legend |
| session 1 |
20 minutes with all cars, knock-out positions 18-24. |
| session 2 |
15 minutes with remaining 17 cars, knock-out positions 11-17. |
| session 3 |
10 minutes with remaining 10 cars, fight out qualify positions 1-10.
Tyres used in Q3 must be used as first set of tyres in race. |
| 20* | Vitantonio Liuzzi (15): Vitantonio Liuzzi qualified 15th in session 2, but got a 5 position grid penalty due to blocking Nico Hülkenberg. |
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