Schumacher Steals Last-Minute Pole Again - Spain

World Champion Michael Schumacher claimed his third successive pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix when he clocked the fastest-ever time at the Circuit de Catalunya on Saturday in a red-flagged qualifying interrupted by more problems for the Minardi team.

Ferrari secured a front row lock-out for Sunday's race with another dominant showing as the same three men secured the top positions as those at Imola two weeks ago - Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello and Ralf Schumacher in his Williams-BMW.

For Michael Schumacher, it was his third pole this year and the 46th pole of his career, but for Minardi it was a worrying time. In the morning practice, Mark Webber of Australia had lost his front wing and the same happened in the afternoon to his teammate Malaysian Alex Yoong.

Yoong was unhurt after his car lifted when he ran over the kerbs on the final corner and, unlike at Imola, at least he qualified for the race. German Schumacher left it late to eclipse his Brazilian teammate Rubens Barrichello, who had led the session for 58 of the 60 minutes in 20 degree heat at the Barcelona track.

Barrichello was in scintillating form and he clocked a fastest time half-way through the hour-long session, but even though he improved it later on, Schumacher was flying and he set the fastest lap ever around the Spanish circuit, beating the previous best set by Canadian Jacques Villeneuve in 1997.

Barrichello, second, held off a challenge from Ralf Schumacher, who managed to find his form and claim third spot for the Williams-BMW team after setting times constantly off the pace in the earlier practice sessions.

Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya made it two Williams-BMWs in the top four as Finn Kimi Raikkonen outqualified his more experienced McLaren-Mercedes teammate David Coulthard, of Britain, to claim fifth.

Briton Jenson Button just missed his aim of a top five qualifying spot by finishing sixth, but managed to claim the Best of British place by finishing one place ahead of David Coulthard in his McLaren. German Nick Heidfeld was eighth for Sauber.

Pos Driver Team Times laps 1. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:16.364 222.985 km/h 9 2. Barrichello Ferrari (B) 1:16.690 + 0.326 9 3. R.Schumacher Williams BMW (M) 1:17.277 + 0.913 9 4. Montoya Williams BMW (M) 1:17.425 + 1.061 10 5. Raikkonen McLaren Mercedes (M) 1:17.519 + 1.155 11 6. Button Renault (M) 1:17.638 + 1.274 7 7. Coulthard McLaren Mercedes (M) 1:17.662 + 1.298 11 8. Heidfeld Sauber Petronas (B) 1:17.851 + 1.487 12 9. Trulli Renault (M) 1:17.929 + 1.565 9 10. Frentzen Arrows Cosworth (B) 1:18.121 + 1.757 12 11. Massa Sauber Petronas (B) 1:18.139 + 1.775 11 12. Fisichella Jordan Honda (B) 1:18.291 + 1.927 12 13. Panis BAR Honda (B) 1:18.472 + 2.108 12 14. Bernoldi Arrows Cosworth (B) 1:18.515 + 2.151 12 15. Villeneuve BAR Honda (B) 1:18.847 + 2.483 12 16. de la Rosa Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:18.885 + 2.521 12 17. Salo Toyota (M) 1:18.897 + 2.533 12 18. Sato Jordan Honda (B) 1:19.002 + 2.638 12 19. McNish Toyota (M) 1:19.025 + 2.661 11 20. Webber Minardi Asiatech (M) 1:19.802 + 3.438 9 21. Yoong Minardi Asiatech (M) 1:21.415 + 5.051 7 22. Irvine Jaguar Cosworth (M) No Time 10 * * Moved to the back of the grid due to fuel irregularity All Timing Unofficial