Schuey Sr still confident of win

The German, who won his fourth world title two weeks ago in Hungary, was outqualified and out-manoeuvred by team mates Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher in the changing conditions.

But he believes he can get his revenge on raceday and notch up the win that will take him beyond the 51-race record total he currently shares with Alain Prost, and into virgin territory all on his own.

With most of the lead drivers switching to slicks in the closing minutes, the Williams pair had put in a string of flying laps to snatch both front row slots as the track dried. At one stage Montoya was on pole 3.4 seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

Schumacher Sr has never yet started from the very front at his favourite circuit, even though he has won here four times in 10 years. But he has an astonishing finishing record, having never finished outside the top two when he has still been running at the flag.

The Ferrari ace said Williams-BMW's performance was no surprise as they showed a glimmer of form in the disrupted morning sessions.

"It already looked from the times this morning that Williams could do something here," said Schumacher. "But they have an advantage in one area and a disadvantage in another. The race is a long way and it should be alright for us."

The German boxed clever to spend most of the final half-hour at the top of the times. While most of his rivals dodged between wet and dry set-ups, he had one car for each.

"But it was very tight for us to use the dry tyres at the end of the session," he said.

"When I went out right at the end I really didn't think I could improve, but while I was circling to start my fast lap, it dried enough for me to be able to go faster. I'm not upset to be third. In the circumstances we are not at all upset.

"I think the race will be dry and maybe we have a little problem in the wet-dry situation on dry tyres, but upset? No."