Schumacher flies to pole in Malaysia

Schumacher flies to pole in Malaysia

Agence France-Presse
Sepang, Malaysia

World champion Michael Schumacher scorched to the 57th pole
position of his career here on Saturday with a dominant
qualifying performance for Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix.

Six-time title winner Schumacher, who won the season-opening
Australian Grand Prix two weeks ago, produced the perfect lap
time around the Sepang circuit to finish more than half-a-second
ahead of Mark Webber.

Schumacher, who completed a clean sweep in Australia with
pole, fastest lap and victory, was untroubled by the 37 degree
Celsius (99 degree Fahrenheit) heat and his faultless performance
in his Ferrari sent an ominous warning to his rivals.

"We looked quicker on paper, it was a mindblowing lap I have
to say, everything perfect and spot on," said Schumacher.

"We worked very well with the car. We were looking in
difficulty yesterday but managed to work the car very well and
put it back on the road".

Australian Webber produced the performance of the day to
finish second quickest for Jaguar ahead of Ferrari's Rubens
Barrichello.

Barrichello said: "Michael put in a really good lap but my lap
was good as well.

"I am quite happy, not with the gap to Michael but that we
worked seriously hard on the race and I am hoping that everything
comes to me for the race."

Williams pair Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher were
fourth and seventh respectively with McLaren driver Kimi
Raikkonen and Jenson Button splitting them in fifth and sixth.

Renault's Jarno Trulli, McLaren's David Coulthard and Toyota
driver Cristiano Da Matta completed the top 10.

Spaniard Fernando Alonso, who had led a Renault one-two in
Saturday's first qualifying session, slid off track and into the
gravel as the last man on track.

Montoya, the first of the leading names on track, set the pace
with a lap time of one minute 34.054 secs for the Williams team.

His team-mate Ralf Schumacher was one-tenth slower, before BAR
driver Jenson Button split the pair in the timesheets after being
unable to hold onto the quickest time he held after two sectors.

McLaren's Coulthard slotted in behind the top trio after being
unable to find his best, but Ferrari driver Barrichello produced
an immaculate lap to go 0.298 seconds faster than Montoya and
take provisional pole.

The impressive Webber continued his rise to prominence as he
went quicker than Barrichello by 0.041 seconds to move into top
spot.

World champion Schumacher, however, produced an immediate
response to the threat from Jaguar driver Webber as he posted a
lap time more than six-tenths of a second faster than the
Australian.

Webber said afterwards: "I'm very surprised. The guys have
done a great job for me. We are happy going into the race
tomorrow.

"I would be very pleased if we can be second fastest all race
but we are really looking for some decent points.

"I will try to get away aggressively and try to finish the
race. Until I see the chequered flag I will not be happy."

Raikkonen, who won his first Grand Prix in Malaysia last year,
crossed the line for fifth place on the grid, while Renault's
Trulli was disappointed as he slotted into eighth place.

Alonso, the last man on track and who earned pole position at
Sepang 12 months ago, slid off into the gravel as he attempted to
topple Schumacher and he will begin the race from the back row of
the grid.