Schumacher takes pole in Canada
Michael Schumacher needed only one flying lap on his first qualifying run to claim the pole for the Scuderia Ferrari-Marlboro team, his first of the season and the 21st of his F1 career. He only ran 7 laps of the allowable 12 qualifying laps in the session, but another attempt at improving his time was thwarted by yellow flags. "I could have had the pole at Monaco, but I didn't, so it's good to finally get the first one of the season here," said Michael. He changed the set-up after his first run, but found the handling not as good and then lost more time when a broken bodywork support had to be repaired. He went back to his original set-up for a final run but was then hampered by a yellow flag.
Eddie Irvine took third place for Ferrari, the Irishman hoping to share the front row with Schumacher, but losing his last run because of yellow flags. "I lost my first run when I slid wide at the last corner and brushed the wall in front of the pits. My second run I found Takagi going slow and I did my time on the third. Unfortunately my last run was spoiled when Alesi stopped at the first corner," otherwise I think I could have taken the second fastest time," he added.
Hakkinen happy but disappointed
"I have never really gone very well here in the past, so I am happy with second place," said Mika Hakkinen, "but at the same time I am disappointed to have missed the chance at setting a record run of pole positions," he added following his pole at every race so far this year. "The team improved the car a lot since the morning and they improved it all the way through. I did not get a 100 percent last lap when I had to back off for traffic, but it was my best lap," said Mika.
Davis Coulthard was disappointed to end up fourth fastest. " I was slower than when I ran more fuel and I am not sure why. I found it difficult to position the car precisely for the corners and around here without that you are lost," he said.
Barrichello fine fifth for Stewart
Rubens Barrichello was happy with his fifth place on te grid by the end of the session. He too felt he could have improved a little but for the yellow flags. His team-mate Johnny Herbert was very disappointed not to have bettered 10th fastest.
Frentzen completes row three for Jordan
After fitting a fresh engine before the session, Heinz-Harald Frentzen was happy with sixth place considering the conditions, his best lap coming despite a scare from Pedro Diniz who lifted off on the main straight as Frentzen tried to slip stream him. Hill was back in 14th spot, engine problems forcing him into the spare car which did not feel as good as his race chassis.
In brief...
Giancarlo Fisichella took seventh place despite hard contact with a wall which ended his session after 7 laps. Wurz was still struggling and only 11th in the second Benetton. Alesi took eighth place for Sauber despite stopping on the track after damaging his car's undertray over a kerb. He was obviously happy, for he launched his helmet into the crowd at the end of the session. A bad session for Williams. Ralf Schumacher crashed his race car and was then hit from behind in his spare car by Ricardo Zonta. He took 13th place just behind team-mate Zanardi who was simply happy to have had no mechanical problems.
Takagi banged his Arrows into the barriers and had to take his spare car which stopped with an engine problem. Gene had to use his spare Minardi when the rear left suspension failed on his race car. Damper problems saw Villeneuve a disappointed 16th on the grid for his home race, BAR team-mate Zonta just behind him on row 9.
Pos Driver Team Time
1. M.Schumacher Ferrari 1:19.298 200.706 kmph
2. Hakkinen Mclaren Mercedes 1:19.327 + 0.029
3. Irvine Ferrari 1:19.440 + 0.142
4. Coulthard Mclaren Mercedes 1:19.729 + 0.431
5. Barrichello Stewart Ford 1:19.930 + 0.632
6. Frentzen Jordan Mugen-Honda 1:20.158 + 0.860
7. Fisichella Benetton Playlife 1:20.378 + 1.080
8. Alesi Sauber Petronas 1:20.459 + 1.161
9. Trulli Prost Peugeot 1:20.557 + 1.259
10. Herbert Stewart Ford 1:20.829 + 1.531
11. Wurz Benetton Playlife 1:21.000 + 1.702
12. Zanardi Williams Supertec 1:21.076 + 1.778
13. R.Schumacher Williams Supertec 1:21.081 + 1.783
14. Hill Jordan Mugen-Honda 1:21.094 + 1.796
15. Panis Prost Peugeot 1:21.252 + 1.954
16. Villeneuve BAR Supertec 1:21.302 + 2.004
17. Zonta BAR Supertec 1:21.467 + 2.169
18. Diniz Sauber Petronas 1:21.571 + 2.273
19. Takagi Arrows TWR 1:21.693 + 2.395
20. de la Rosa Arrows TWR 1:22.613 + 3.315
21. Badoer Minardi Ford 1:22.808 + 3.510
22. Gene Minardi Ford 1:23.387 + 4.089
Weather: Dry, Sunny. Temperature: air - 30°C, track - 51°C
All timing unofficial
Qaulifying Results