Delighted Button Targets First Win

Britain's Jenson Button is seeking his first Grand Prix victory after he grabbed his and BAR's maiden pole position at the San Marino Grand Prix on Saturday to end Michael Schumacher's run of qualifying dominance.

Button lapped Ferrari's home circuit in 1:19.753, the fastest time of the weekend, to pip six times World Champion Schumacher by 0.258 of a second. BAR's first pole came before their 87th race after they entered Formula One in 1999.

"Fantastic. The car's been running strong all weekend. I think we've done a good job, we really have," said Button, who is now seeking his third podium in a row on Sunday. "I can't wait. Qualifying is one thing but winning a race is the real goal.

"It's the first time in my Formula One career that I've had nobody in front of me at the start. It's all down to me now," said the 24-year-old, whose last pole came in British Formula Three in 1999.

Button's previous best qualifying performance was third at Spa in Belgium for Williams in his 2000 debut season. BAR teammate Takuma Sato filled the fourth row of the grid.