Timothy Collings' Qualifying Report - Malaysian GP

As the temperatures soared past 38 degrees, Michael Schumacher was the coolest man in the pitlane on Saturday after cruising to the 32nd pole position of his career ahead of Sunday's season-ending Malaysian Grand Prix.

The newly-crowned triple world champion needed only eight laps of his allocated 12 to top the times in qualifying for the 56-laps race, repeating his feat of grabbing pole in Malaysia last year and registering his fourth pole in successive races.

It was also the ninth pole of the season for the 31-year-old German who ended up four-tenths of a second clear of nearest rival Finn Mika Hakkinen in a McLaren by clocking a best time of 1:37.397.

"It was not as easy as it looked at all," said Schumacher afterwards with a smile. "I only did eight laps because I did not really have time to go out again at the end so I stayed on just eight.

"But the car handled well and I think we found the optimum balance both for qualifying and for the longer runs today. The team has done a good job."

Hakkinen clocked his best time to grab second place in the final seconds of the session after the chequered flag had been waved, moving up from fourth with a final dramatic lap in which he had one big anxious moment, when he scrambled to keep control of his car.

His McLaren teammate Briton David Coulthard was third-fastest after also improving his time in the final seconds to push Brazilian Rubens Barrichello back from second to fourth in his Ferrari.

"I feel sorry for Rubens," said Schumacher. "He has a lot of flu this weekend and he is not feeling at all well. It was a big boost for him when he saw he was second in those final minutes and, naturally, a big disappointment when he lost that place. "

The battle between the two top teams will settle this year's constructors' championship as Ferrari need only three points to clinch the title and their first drivers and teams 'double' in 21 years.

"That is important to us of course and it will be a bit of a miracle if we don't get the three points we need," said Schumacher. "But I am going out to win this race."

Problems

Barrichello said: "After suffering with small health problems over the past few days, I gave it my all at the end of the session to do a great lap and I feel I succeeded.

"I think we will see a good race and I will be giving it my best shot to get a great result and help the team take the constructors' title, which is so important to us."

Hakkinen and Coulthard both appeared much hotter and more exhausted at the post-session news conferences than Schumacher and they agreed their cars were making life difficult for them on the circuit.

"My last lap was fast enough, but only for second," Hakkinen said. "We just didn't get the maximum from the car this time. Not in balance or in traction."

Coulthard said his session was interrupted in the latter stages by an incident in the McLaren garage when there was a fuel leak. Some of the petrol squirted in his face and into his left eye.

"A fuel line came off and there was a small fire and a bit of a panic," said Coulthard. "I was in the garage and my visor was up and that is how it went in my eye.

"It certainly highlights the danger we face, especially the mechanics who are working out there in shorts and t-shirts. Those guys are taking big risks doing the jobs they do."

Behind Coulthard, Austrian Alexander Wurz qualified fifth for Benetton -- his best effort of the season before leaving to join McLaren as their test driver -- ahead of Canadian Jacques Villeneuve who was sixth for BAR-Honda.

Briton Johnny Herbert, preparing for his 161st and final Grand Prix, qualified 12th in his Jaguar.