Ralf Ready to Fight Montoya for Victory

German Ralf Schumacher hinted he was prepared to do battle with Williams teammate Juan Pablo Montoya as the pair secured the team's first front row lock-out for four years.

"It is difficult to be friends with your teammate," Schumacher said. "I've had five and things have been similar with them all. It was better with Jenson but that was in different circumstances.

"JP had back luck at start of season so things have changed and he has developed in the right direction and that is good for him and the team. But if you are on pole sometimes you are first into the first corner and second into the second corner and the race is long so anything can happen."

Colombian Montoya was ecstatic after he claimed his first-ever pole position in Formula One at Hockenheim.

"It feels really good," Montoya said. "We've worked hard and worked well for this. I'm very pleased for myself and the mechanics because we worked so hard for this. The car is really good but I'm surprised Michael (Schumacher) didn't go quicker and I'm surprised how much quicker we were.

"We changed a few bits since this morning and played around with the car for it to go over the kerbs better."

Montoya admitted that Williams were in a strong position for the race and said the weather conditions would be of major benefit to the team.

"I knew we would be competitive but not dominant," he added. "The race should be alright and we're looking good for tomorrow. It should be a strong race for us even though the last few races we have had reliability problems. But we'll see how it pays off. It is going to be hot again so that will help us.

"To beat Ralf in Germany is very good," said Montoya, looking relaxed afterwards. Instead of the sibling rivalry they had been expecting, the legions of German fans will be treated to the spectacle of two teammates, neither of whom pretend to be great friends, fighting for the lead into the first corner.

"He needs the points and I need the points so if we break each other it would be very, very silly," Montoya said. "But I get the priority in pit stops, I have the priority because I am ahead.

"We have exactly the same car and the same launch control and everything, so it should be okay. It's a long straight, it's important to go well through the first corner. We'll see what happens. If I'm in a position to lead, I will. If something goes wrong at the start and I need to be second, then I will be second. You don't win the race in the first corner."

Team principal Frank Williams said he hoped Montoya and Schumacher would act responsibly on Sunday.

"It's better for them not to push each other off the track," he said with typical understatement.