Barrichello on pole, Schumacher 14th

Schumacher needs just one point from the season-ending race at Suzuka to be sure of beating Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio’s record and he will not even need that if McLaren’s Raikkonen fails to win. The Finn qualified eighth after crashing his car in practice and taking team mate David Coulthard’s for qualifying and the race.

Sunday will be Schumacher’s lowest grid position since his Benetton days when he started the 1995 Belgian Grand Prix from 16th place. But he still won that race and ended the year as champion. Until Saturday, Schumacher had started the last five Japanese Grands Prix from pole position and has also won the last three.

Barrichello is the last of the frontrunners to go out before occasional spits of rain turned into a steadier drizzle. “If I can win this one, then for Michael it is done,” said Barrichello, who will be given free rein to go for the seventh win of his career.

The Brazilian will line up on the front row alongside Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya, the Williams driver whose title aspirations were ended at the last race at Indianapolis when the two collided. (Reuters)