Alonso 'Dreaming' after Record Pole Position

Fernando Alonso roared into the Formula One records as the youngest driver ever to seize pole position as Renault took advantage of new rules to stun their rivals in Malaysia today.

Alonso's flying lap made the 21-year-old, who will share Sunday's front row at Sepang with Italian teammate Jarno Trulli, the youngest to start on pole by six months and also the first Spaniard. Brazilian Rubens Barrichello previously held the record with a pole for Jordan in Belgium aged 22 in 1994.

"To get a pole in the second race (with Renault) is an amazing feeling. The race is tomorrow but it's a good starting point. At the moment I am dreaming," said Alonso.

Alonso, tipped as a future winner in the mould of five times World Champion Michael Schumacher, took pole in only his 19th race having failed to score any points in his career until the Australian Grand Prix of two weeks ago.

At the same time, and clearly on a lighter fuel load than his rivals, he dethroned Ferrari's Schumacher as king of the Malaysian Grand Prix grid. A thorough overhaul of the rules since the end of 2002, aimed at cutting costs and livening up the sport after a year of Ferrari domination, means that the fastest car is no longer necessarily the one starting on pole.

Refuelling is now banned between qualifying and Sunday's start and drivers aim for pole with varying fuel loads according to strategy. Renault, with a strong chassis but an engine widely rumoured to be more than 100 horsepower down on the Ferrari engine, were clearly going to be heading for the pits soon after the start and possibly making an extra stop.

The times from Friday qualifying, when champions Ferrari were nearly a second quicker than their closest rivals, were likely to be a clearer indication of race form. None of that mattered to the Renault drivers however after a result that would have registered high on the Richter scale of sporting shocks in previous years.

"It feels fantastic. For me it's a really special day, my first pole position, I'm 21 years old and it's my first year in a big team like Renault," said Alonso.