Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello claimed third place having led the way in Q2, although the Brazilian fared better than team-mate and championship leader Jenson Button, who took fifth.

Red Bull Racing’s Sebastian Vettel salvaged fourth place from what had been a difficult two days of practice, although his team-mate – and Button’s nearest title challenger – Mark Webber, was ninth.

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen took sixth on the starting grid ahead of Williams’ Nico Rosberg. Home favourite Fernando Alonso will be disappointed with eighth place for Renault while BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica completed the top 10.

Raikkonen avoided going out in Q2 by just four hundredths of a second, BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld instead the unlucky man to drop out from 11th place.

Adrian Sutil’s rapid practice pace failed to convert into anything more than 12th on the grid for Force India, while Toyota’s Timo Glock took 13th.

Romain Grosjean did well to haul himself into the second session on his debut for Renault but found the going too tough in the battle to make Q1, settling for 14th place ahead of Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi.

Luca Badoer, back behind the wheel of a grand prix car for the first time in a decade, headlined the list of Q1 drop-outs, the Ferrari test driver unable to get to grips with the cut and thrust of F1 after so long away, and without any testing prior to this weekend.

The 38-year-old has been told by Ferrari he will remain in the seat until Massa is back to full fitness, but on current form his bosses at Maranello will be forced to look elsewhere if they have any designs on securing third place in the constructors’ championship.

“I was hoping for better, but that more or less was the range,” a nevertheless upbeat Badoer told the BBC.

“We were expecting this. One year without driving and a new track, what could I do? This race is a test. I have to be better in the next race.”

Williams driver Kazuki Nakajima was unlucky to bow out having looked strong in practice yesterday and this morning.

A car failure out on the circuit meant the Japanese was unable to improve his time in the closing minutes, and he was duly gobbled up by the pack and will start 17th.

That is at least one place better than Toyota’s Jarno Trulli, who has struggled for pace all weekend at the twisty Valencia track and could only finish ahead of Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso) and Badoer.

Veteran Giancarlo Fisichella completed the rogues’ gallery of Q1 drop-outs, finishing 16th in the second Force India.