BAR duo grab top 10 grid spots

Villeneuve will start seventh, two spots ahead of Button, and was pleased with his day's work as just another fraction of a second would have put him ahead of McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen.

"I'm very happy with my lap because it's quicker than we had been expecting," said Villeneuve. "We've been working all weekend towards race set-up so to get a good lap in qualifying today is great. There was still a tenth to be had in the last corner but I think the signs are good for the race tomorrow."

Team-mate Button was less satisfied, and said: "The first two sectors of my qualifying lap were OK but then I went a bit wide in the high-speed chicane up the hill and lost a bit of time. I'm disappointed but I don't think we're looking too bad for tomorrow."

Honda's Engineering Director Shuhei Nakamoto was hoping for much more, however: "This afternoon wasn't great and we were expecting to qualify higher than seventh and ninth. The engines have been performing well this weekend and we're still in a good position to continue the fight for points tomorrow."