Happy Barrichello 'Very Confident' for the Race

Brazilian Rubens Barrichello is confident of scoring his first win of the season after claiming a dramatic pole position at the A1-Ring circuit on Saturday.

The Ferrari driver has retired from four of the first five races of the season due to an accident and three mechanical failures, having scored only six points when he finished second at the San Marino Grand Prix a month ago.

Barrichello had lost out to teammate Michael Schumacher in the last two races in their battle for pole position, but this time the German had to settle for third place on a track where he is yet to win.

Barrichello, who has signed a two-year deal to continue driving for Ferrari until the end of the 2004 season, was delighted with his performance and claimed he is confident of a strong race on Sunday.

"In Imola and Barcelona it was close between us and Michael beat me," said Barrichello. "This time, I said to myself, 'not today' and tried even harder. At the moment we are such a good team that if one of us is not on pole then the other should be able to do it.

"I had two lucky escapes: the first when there was the oil on the track and the second when the Toyota moved across on me. I was doing over 300 at the time and I thought it was going to be a big accident.

"That time I managed to continue and go quicker on my second lap in that run as the tyres were holding up well. Tomorrow, we start all over again and I am very happy and very confident for the race."

After setting a blistering pace in the morning's practice session, Schumacher was unable to beat his own lap time in qualifying, the four-time champion posting the third quickest time behind Barrichello and his brother Ralf in the first of the Williams.

"I did have a problem with my race car," said Schumacher. "We are not sure at the moment what it was, but it is unusual for me to be quicker in the morning than in the afternoon. That is why I took the spare car. I have to say that Rubens did a very good job.

"Third is reasonable and we are looking good for the race. We have been quick all weekend and although it is closer than in Barcelona, I still feel we have a slight edge."