HOCKENHEIM (Germany), July 27: The Schumacher brothers will start Sunday’s German Grand Prix on the front row after Ferrari’s world champion Michael secured pole position in front of his home fans.
Michael, who won a record-equalling fifth Formula One title in France last weekend, acknowledged the adulation of the crowd after pushing Ralf aside a minute from the end of the hour-long session.
His time of one minute 14.389 seconds was enough for a first pole since Spain in April and ended Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya’s run of five in a row.
Ralf, winner at the old Hockenheim circuit last year, had earlier looked likely to claim only the second pole of his career with a run of 1:14.570 but had to settle for his second front row start of the season.
Schumacher’s Ferrari team mate Rubens Barrichello will share the second row with Montoya.
Finland’s Kimi Raikkonen was fifth fastest for McLaren and starts alongside the Jordan of Italian Giancarlo Fisichella.
Schumacher has never won at Hockenheim for Ferrari, his only victory coming in 1995 for Benetton, but can equal his own and Briton Nigel Mansell’s milestone of nine wins in a season if he triumphs on Sunday.
Malaysian Alex Yoong, in a Minardi, failed to qualify for the third time this season.
Grid position:
Front row
1. Michael Schumacher (Ger) Ferrari 1min 14.389sec, 2. Ralf Schumacher (Ger) Williams-BMW 1:14.570
2nd row
3. Rubens Barrichello (Bra) Ferrari 1:14.693, 4. Juan Pablo Montoya (Col) Williams-BMW 1:15.108
3rd row
5. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.639, 6. Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Jordan-Honda 1:15.690
4th row
7. Olivier Panis (Fra) BAR-Honda 1:15.851, 8. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Renault 1:15.885
5th row
9. David Coulthard (Gbr) McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.909, 10. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) Sauber-Petronas 1:15.990
6th row
11. Jacques Villeneuve (Can) BAR-Honda 1:16.070, 12. Takuma Sato (Jpn) Jordan-Honda 1:16.072
7th row
13. Jenson Button (Gbr) Renault 1:16.278, 14. Felipe Massa (Bra) Sauber-Petronas 1:16.351
8th row
15. Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Ger) Arrows-Cosworth 1:16.505, 16. Eddie Irvine (Gbr) Jaguar-Cosworth 1:16.533
9th row
17. Allan McNish (Gbr) Toyota 1:16.594, 18. Enrique Bernoldi (Bra) Arrows-Cosworth 1:16.645
10th row
19. Mika Salo (Fin) Toyota 1:16.685, 20. Pedro de la Rosa (Spa) Jaguar-Cosworth 1:17.077
11th row
21. Mark Webber (Aus) Minardi-Asiatech 1:17.996
Eliminated: Alex Yoong (Mas) Minardi-Asiatech 1:19.775.—AFP