Schumacher wants to move the grid!

But the German driver is to meet officials because he is unhappy at starting so close to Indianapolis's historic yard of bricks.

McLaren rivals Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard have warned it could affect the start as the cars are scrabbling for grip away from the lights.

Some reports say he may attempt to move the entire grid for the start of the American Grand Prix because he cannot move his position alone.

Pole position is just a few feet from the yard of bricks but the rest of the grid is much further away.

"It's unfair if a driver has to suffer because he is on pole position," said the German.

"That should not be the case. We will put some rubber down but not enough. We will have to talk about this. A driver should not suffer for being in pole position. I may have some trouble because of it."

The yard of bricks crosses the circuit from one side to the other and are a memory from the site's beginnings as a brick yard - and hence its nickname "The Brickyard".

The double champion used a tow from team-mate Rubens Barrichello on the super-fast pit straight to snatch the front spot from title rival Hakkinen.

Earlier Schumacher almost got caught out by the rain as he grabbed a crucial pole position for the US Grand Prix.

The German waited in his pits while his rivals stampeded onto the track in a bid to beat the predicted rain - and almost got caught out.

"I was confident it was not going to rain that's why I was happy to wait. Then I went out and saw drops on my visor and sped up to get my lap in before it started," he said.

Schumacher grabbed pole from Hakkinen minutes into the session as the rain started to fall and then improved on his time after 35 minutes with the help of Barrichello's tow.

The German starts from the front row for the second race in succession and the seventh time this season.

And he kept his promise after his emotional Monza victory to prove that Ferrari were in shape to battle for victory in each of the last three races.

The German confessed to concerns that the famous banked final bend could be treacherous if it rains.

The Indy 500 has never been raced in the wet - but cars circulated in 1935 and 1940 under yellows when it rained - so a wet race will make Indianapolis history.

"There is the chance of a wet weather race and I hope we don't have rivers running across the track," he said.

"But I am happy I have got a good race set-up and we are pretty well prepared for the race."

Like Hakkinen he confessed to concerns about the first bend.

"I always worry for the first corner but no more or less here than anywhere else," he said.

"Ive just got to put in a good start, turn in first for the first corner and then you are out of trouble. That's what we are aiming to do, well just see if we achieve it.

"It's a slow corner and it's up to us to be disciplined enough to use the space available on the track - and no more."

Hakkinen has 80 points, Schumacher has 78, Coulthard 61 and Barrichello 49 with three races remaining.

For the starting grid for the US GP click HERE.