Button takes Spa pole

Championship at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium from pole position.
The British teenager was quickest in both qualifying sessions today in his
Promatecme UK Dallara-Renault, setting the fastest time as early as the
fourth lap in the opening half-hour.

Title combatants Luciano Burti and Marc Hynes were only just adrift of Button
in second and third, the latter improving his times dramatically as the
session wore on.

'I'm quite happy,' smiled Button. 'I got the time in when it was important -
the track was quite cool at that time. We had a few niggly problems in the
Friday test, but we sorted them out and the car went well.'

The second session was slower, with none of the top three improving.

'I didn't get a perfect run,' added Button. 'The car's working well and we've
done consistent times and it's going to be very close, although I don't think
we're all going to be on the track by the end of the first 10 laps!'

Burti had an upturn in his recent form to plant his Stewart Racing
Dallara-Mugen in second.

'Here you can improve the car only a little bit and
find a lot of time,' said the Brazilian. 'I'm sure we can improve it
further.'

Series leader Hynes was third in his Manor Motorsport
Dallara-Mugen:

'Here as much as anywhere the team are lacking experience
because it's their first year in F3. We just need to fiddle around a bit.
It's still getting better - my quickest lap was my last.'

Kristian Kolby drove a blinder in the afternoon to take second fastest time
in session and fourth overall. The Fortec Motorsport-run Dane felt his
Dallara-Mugen should have been even quicker, but he was held up on both his
quick laps by other cars losing control.

German series leader Christijan Albers netted fifth in his Bertram Schafer
Racing Dallara-Opel, a good effort from the Dutchman, who is unused to the
Avon tyres used in the British series. He shaded Aluizio Coelho in the second
Promatecme Dallara.

Completing the top 10 are local hero Yves Olivier (JB Motorsport
Dallara-Opel), Frenchman Julien Beltoise (ASM Dallara-Renault), Portuguese
Tiago Monteiro (ASM Dallara-Renault) and Andrew Kirkaldy (Stewart Racing
Dallara-Mugen). That was a strong recovery from the Scot, who went off at Les
Combes on his fourth lap in the first session and was driving a repaired
Stewart Racing Dallara-Mugen.

Regular front-runners Matt Davies and Narain Karthikeyan were disappointed
with 13th and 17th places respectively.