Timothy Collings' Qualifying Report - German GP

Briton David Coulthard took the 10th pole position of his Formula One career in a wet qualifying session on Saturday that set up a dramatic start for Sunday's German Grand Prix.

Coulthard, in a McLaren, will have world championship leading German Michael Schumacher right alongside him on the front row in his Ferrari.

Schumacher managed to squeeze in one last flying lap in the final seconds after the chequered flag had fallen to secure second place.

The grid line-up promised another explosive duel for control between the two rivals.

"I just plan to try and maximise my opportunity at the start," said Coulthard, whose criticism of Schumacher's aggressive swerving starts sparked a recent war of words among top drivers.

"I intend to come out of the first corner in front and if that happens we have a very good chance."

Coulthard lies only six points behind Schumacher in the drivers' title race and a victory could give him the leadership if the German fails to finish in the first three.

But Schumacher, one of the toughest drivers in Formula One who also excels in the wet, is certain to fight for every possible opportunity to win.

Coulthard, 29, outpaced Schumacher by an astonishing 1.3 seconds after timing his best run to perfection in the early stages of the rain-hit qualifying hour.

Perfect Timing

Italian Giancarlo Fisichella was third fastest for Benetton ahead of world champion Mika Hakkinen in the second McLaren.

Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa claimed his best-ever fifth position for Arrows ahead of sixth-placed Italian Jarno Trulli in his Jordan.

"It was really down to good timing and getting out on the circuit when I did," said Coulthard.

"I am not impressed by being 1.3 seconds quicker than Michael today, but I would be if it had been in dry conditions. Today it was all about trying to get a lap."

Coulthard was the fourth leader in a frantic five-minute spell early in the qualifying hour and he survived all attempts to push him off the top before and after a heavy storm which curtailed the action.

"In these kind of half-and-half conditions it is quite normal to see big gaps and obviously, today, I read the conditions just a little better than the rest of them," explained Coulthard.

Schumacher crashed in the morning's final free practice and had to qualify in the spare car.

"I got lucky with that lap at that moment," the German admitted. "In the end, I am quite happy to be in second position. You need quite a bit of confidence in these conditions and to try for it and that is what happened.

"But I was very close to going off once or twice as well."

Asked if his luck had changed after three non-finishes in four races, he said: "Let's see tomorrow -- that's when it counts. Not today."

Other drivers were not so lucky and the rain and difficult conditions prevented German Heinz-Harald Frentzen in a Jordan and Brazilian Rubens Barrichello in a Ferrari from recording competitive times until the final minutes.

They ended up 17th and 18th respectively.

Frentzen's earlier time was annulled because he cut out a chicane while Barrichello stopped with an electrical problem after only 14 minutes.

The Brazilian then had to wait until the Ferrari team could repair and modify Schumacher's car for him.

"If you want to know how my car ran you will have to ask Rubens," joked Schumacher afterwards. "We have been competitive all weekend and I feel pretty confident for the race."