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Schumacher gains Monaco provisional pole Salvatore Zanca
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MONTE CARLO, Monaco - Michael Schumacher gained the provisional pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix in a controversial qualifying session on Saturday. After setting the fastest lap of 1 minute, 13.898 seconds early in the final section of qualifying, Schumacher looked like he lost control of his Ferrari on his final lap and stalled out on the track on the final turn.
"It was a misfortune at the end. I went wide, I locked the wheels. I wasn't sure what was going on," Schumacher said. "You push and go for it and that was a bit too much."
However, Schumacher managed to avoid contact with the wall and didn't damage his car.
World champion Fernando Alonso of Renault — who had been fastest in two of the three practice sessions — was beating Schumacher's time through the first two sections but had to slow to avoid Schumacher and finished second in 1:13.962.
Immediately after the session ended, it was announced that the stewards were investigating the incident. Alonso had no doubt he lost the pole because of Schumacher.
"I would have been on pole for sure today without the problem on the final lap," he said. "To lose my fastest lap due to an accident from somebody else is not a good moment — but I suppose these things happen in Monaco."
If Schumacher keeps the pole he will have a great advantage on the twisting 2.076-mile street circuit because passing is extremely difficult. It would be the 67th pole position of Schumacher's career and the third this season.
Schumacher, who has not won at Monte Carlo since 2001, is one victory short of equaling the late Ayrton Senna's record of six.
Alonso has never won in Monaco, his best being a fourth last year, starting from second on the grid.
At "the last corner I was three-tenths quicker," Alonso said. "I was performing really well. Now we have to wait until tomorrow."
Alonso says he saw the yellow flags — which tell drivers that there is danger ahead and be prepared to slow down. Stewards also check to make sure a driver does not set his fastest time in that section.
"At that moment you are so close, anything that could go wrong in final corner you lose the advantage," Alonso said. "Michael was on the outside and in the line."
Renault director of engineering Pat Symonds described Schumacher's move as "suspicious."
"We were very pleased with the performance of the cars throughout the session, but extremely surprised to see Michael make a suspicious mistake," Symonds said. "That looked as if it had come from a novice driver — not a world champion."
Schumacher said he was not worried about Renault lodging a complaint.
"I don't care what other people, other teams, do," Schumacher said.
Mark Webber was third in 1:14.082. McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, hoping to become the first repeat winner in more than 10 years here, was in fourth. Raikkonen had the fastest times of the day with 1:13.887 in the first session and 1:13.532 in the second — but that didn't count toward determining the pole.
"I could have claimed pole position, but then I hit traffic on my second and flying lap. But that is Monaco," Raikkonen said.
Raikkonen had pole position last year in 1:13.644.
Out of the six races this season, Alonso has won three, Schumacher two and Alonso's teammate Giancarlo Fisichella one.
Ferrari driver Felipe Massa crashed out on his first lap, putting him last on the starting grid. Massa also crashed out in qualifying at Malaysia. He has finished in the top four in his last three races.
Jenson Button of Honda, still looking first his first victory, was eliminated after finishing in the last six. Button had a pole position at the Australian GP and started in the top three in the first four races of the season.
Alonso leads the overall standings with 54 points, followed by Schumacher with 39. The pair have taken the top two places in the last three races.
Released on: May 27, 2006
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