
World champion Michael Schumacher took pole position for Sunday8217;s Australian Grand Prix as Ferrari started the Formula One season with the front row to themselves.
Schumacher blasted round the Albert Park circuit in a record time of one minute 24.408, a mere 0.074 quicker than his teammate Rubens Barrichello.
It was the 56th pole of the German8217;s career and a carbon copy of qualifying for last year8217;s race, in which neither Ferrari driver finished on the podium.
Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya, whose Williams had been quickest after the first run of the new back-to-back qualifying format, was third fastest alongside Briton Jenson Button in a BAR on the second row.
Fernando Alonso, in a Renault, and Jaguar8217;s Australian hope Mark Webber filled the third row ahead of Takuma Sato in a BAR and Montoya8217;s team mate Ralf Schumacher. Reuters