MANAMA, April 2: Championship leader Fernando Alonso put Formula One pacesetters Renault on provisional pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday.

The young Spaniard, who will be chasing the team’s third win in as many races this season and his second in a row on Sunday, lapped the desert Sakhir circuit in one minute 29.848 seconds.

Italian Jarno Trulli was second for Toyota, 0.145 of a second slower, and on course for his third front row start in succession.

With track temperatures of 54 degrees Celsius, seven times world champion Michael Schumacher launched flagging Ferrari’s fightback after two disappointing races in last year’s car with third place in the new F2005.

The decisive final session is on Sunday, with grid positions decided by aggregate times.

Qualifying session 1

Fernando Alonso (Spain) 1:29.848; Jarno Trulli (Italy) 1:29.993; Michael Schumacher (Germany) 1:30.237; Nick Heidfeld (Germany) 1:30.390; Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) 1:30.445; Mark Webber (Australia) 1:30.592; Kimi Raeikkoenen (Finland) 1:30.594; Christian Klien (Austria) 1:30.646; Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) 1:30.725; Felipe Massa (Brazil) 1:30.933; Ralf Schumacher (Germany) 1:30.952; Jenson Button (Britain) 1:30.957; Takuma Sato (Japan) 1:31.113; David Coulthard (Britain) 1:31.211; Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) 1:31.826; Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) 1:32.318; Narain Karthikeyan (India) 1:33.190; Tiago Monteiro (Portugal) 1:33.424; Christijan Albers (Netherlands) 1:34.005; Patrick Friesacher (Austria) 1:34.848.—Agencies