Villeneuve Achieves Best Ever Qualifying for BAR

Jacques Villeneuve is chasing a podium finish in the Italian Grand Prix after he claimed the best ever qualifying position for his BAR Honda team on Saturday.

"The engine was strong and the car felt really well balanced," said the Canadian after securing fourth place on the grid.

"Hopefully, we will be able to challenge for a podium finish tomorrow but a good start is going to be really important.

"You don't want to be in the middle of the group in the braking on the first chicane because things will be very tight and there is sure to be some wheel-banging."

BAR lie sixth in the constructors' championship and Villeneuve and his departing teammate Brazilian Ricardo Zonta have failed to finish on the podium throughout 2000.

Villeneuve's fourth place finishes in the Australian, French and Austrian Grands Prix are the team's best results so far.

"This year we have done better in racing than qualifying, but this time we have found a good balance in qualifying so we have to try and build on that," said Villeneuve.

Ferrari teammates Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello took pole and second position ahead of world championship leader Mika Hakkinen's McLaren.

But Villeneuve finished ahead of David Coulthard in the second McLaren and plans to make life difficult for the Scot in Sunday's race.

Villeneuve, world champion in 1997 when he raced for Williams, played down his qualifying performance after returning to the team motor home, reflecting instead on the frustrations of an inconsistent campaign this year.

"Of course, I am really pleased with today's result. But this is what we should have been doing for most of the season. We haven't been competitive enough this year," he said. Villeneuve finished 11th at Monza last year and has never won the Italian Grand Prix.