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.