July 20, 2003	Sunday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 19, 1424

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SILVERSTONE (England), July 19: Rubens Barrichello took pole position for Sunday’s British Grand Prix after a dramatic qualifying session which saw the world championship contenders suffer a nightmare afternoon.

Jarno Trulli, in a Renault, was second with Kimi Raikkonen, in a McLaren in third but the day belonged to Barrichello who recorded his second pole of the season and eighth of his career.

Michael Schumacher, made a crucial error and could only take fifth place in the second Ferrari behind brother Ralf in the Williams with Juan Pablo Montoya also struggling home in seventh spot behind the surprising Cristiano Da Matta in a Toyota.

In front of a sea of empty seats in the finishing straight, Barrichello, second out on the track having failed to record a time in Friday’s first session, clocked 1:21.209 in his Ferrari to set the target for the later runners.

After the Minardis of Justin Wilson and Jos Verstappen, the Jordans of Giancarlo Fisichella as well as Sauber drivers Heinx-Harald Frentzen and Nick Heidfeld had merely confirmed their position as backmarkers, it was left to BAR-Honda’s Jacques Villeneuve to mount the first serious challenge.

The Canadian, a winner here in 1996 and 1997, went second with 1:22.591 before Kimi Raikkonen, second to Michael Schumacher in the championship, nipped in 0.486secs behind Barrichello in 1:21.695 in his McLaren.

Jaguar’s Antonio Pizzonia then moved into fourth with 1:22.634.

Cristiano da Matta, in a Toyota, then snatched third place in 1:22.081 before Jenson Button disappointed his home fans when he lost power and had to park his BAR-Honda without setting a time which will relegate him to the back of the grid on Sunday.

Button had already broke down in morning practice. Mark Webber, in the second Jaguar, clocked 1:22.647 which put him into sixth place at that stage.

Double British Grand Prix winner David Coulthard, in the second McLaren again found the one-lap qualifying system a trial as he crossed the line in 1:22.811 — good enough for seventh spot at that time but 1.602secs behind Barrichello.

Jarno Trulli, in the first of the Renaults, then put in a blistering lap of 1:21.381 to take second, just 0.172 behind Barrichello with five drivers left to run.

Olivier Panis, in the second Toyota, could only manage ninth at that stage in 1:23.042 before Fernando Alonso, in the Renault, failed to match his teammate’s pace finishing in 1:22.404 which gave him fifth place.

Ralf Schumacher, the winner of the last two races, also found it tough going in his Williams clocking 1:21.727 for fourth before the entrance of teammate Juan Pablo Montoya and world champion Michael Schumacher.

Montoya pushed hard, lost time running wide in the second sector and managed a time of 1:22.214 which put him in sixth behind Da Matta.

Only Schumacher could relegate his teammate from the front - he was 0.006secs up but lost time when he ran off the track on the second sector and was fifth in 1:21.862.

Grid positions: 1. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 1 minute 21.209 seconds; 2. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Renault 1:21.381; 3. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) McLaren 1:21.695; 4. Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams 1:21.727; 5. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari 1:21.867; 6. Cristiano da Matta (Brazil) Toyota 1:22.081; 7. Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) Williams 1:22.214; 8. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Renault 1:22.404; 9. Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) BAR 1:22.591; 10. Antonio Pizzonia (Brazil) Jaguar 1:22.634; 11. Mark Webber (Australia) Jaguar 1:22.647; 12. David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren 1:22.811; 13. Olivier Panis (France) Toyota 1:23.042; 14. Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Sauber 1:23.187; 15. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Jordan 1:23.574; 16. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Sauber 1:23.844; 17. Ralph Firman (Britain) Jordan 1:24.385; 18. Justin Wilson (Britain) Minardi 1:25.468; 19. Jos Verstappen (Netherlands) Minardi 1:25.759; 20. Jenson Button (Britain) BAR no time.—AFP/Reuters