Home hero Kamui Kobayashi will start third. He was fourth fastest for Sauber, but will gain a place when third-placed Jenson Button is given his gearbox change penalty. Hamilton had not set a competitive time on his first run and was then unable to do so on his second due to yellow flags, with only Nico Hulkenberg behind him in Q3. That means when Button takes a grid penalty he will still line up ahead of his team-mate in eighth place.
Mercedes AMG had been centre of attention in the week but its on-track performance was an anti-climax after Michael Schumacher's retirement announcement. Michael Schumacher done one late lap to go 13th and his impending grid penalty relegating him to 23rd, while Nico Rosberg dropped out in 15th place ahead of the two Toro Rossos.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap
1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull 1:30.839
2. Mark Webber Red Bull 1:31.090 + 0.251
3. Jenson Button McLaren 1:31.294 + 0.451
4. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber 1:31.700 + 0.861
5. Romain Grosjean Lotus 1:31.989 + 1.059
6. Sergio Perez Sauber 1:32.022 + 1.183
7. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:32.114 + 1.275
8. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus 1:32.208 + 1.369
9. Lewis Hamilton McLaren 1:32.327 + 1.488
10. Nico Hulkenberg Force India no time
Q2 Fastest time: S.Vettel 1:31.501
11. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:32.293 + 0.792
12. Paul di Resta Force India 1:32.327 + 0.826
13. Michael Schumacher Mercedes AMG 1:32.469 + 0.968
14. Pastor Maldonado Williams 1:32.512 + 1.011
15. Nico Rosberg Mercedes AMG 1:32.625 + 1.124
16. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1:32.954 + 1.453
17. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 1:33.368 + 1.867
Q1 Fastest time: R.Grosjean 1:32.029
18. Bruno Senna Williams 1:33.405 + 1.376
19. Heikki Kovalainen Caterham 1:34.657 + 2.628
20. Timo Glock Marussia 1:35.213 + 3.184
21. Pedro de la Rosa HRT 1:35.385 + 3.356
22. Charles Pic Marussia 1:35.429 + 3.400
23. Vitaly Petrov Caterham 1:35.432 + 3.403
24. Narain Karthikeyan HRT 1:36.734 + 4.705
107% time: 1:38.471
