Barrichello delights home fans

Local hero Rubens Barrichello sent his countrymen into raptures as he scorched to pole position for tomorrow’s Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo.

The 30-year-old Ferrari driver took the seventh pole of his career by just 0.011 seconds from Britain’s David Coulthard as the qualifying session ended in a thrilling climax.

Australia’s Mark Webber, the last man out on the track, finished third for Jaguar having been quicker than Barrichello until the last few hundred metres on the Interlagos track.

The Sao Paulo-born Barrichello will hope to end his nightmare run in his home race having failed to finish the grand prix in his last eight attempts.

Barrichello threw up his arms in delight after taking top spot from Coulthard, although he had an anxious few moments with Webber powering around until his first pole since last July’s British Grand Prix was confirmed.

But his team-mate and five-time world champion Michael Schumacher will again have to try and force his way to the front after qualifying in seventh spot.

The German, looking to launch his championship fightback after two relatively disappointing races, made a mistake by hitting Renault’s Jarno Trulli on the opening lap in Malaysia two weeks ago when faced with a similar position.

Jenson Button qualified in 11th place having had to go out onto the track first following yesterday’s spectacular spin on the wet circuit during first qualifying, which determined today’s running order.

The 23-year-old British American Racing driver afterwards revealed his fears if tomorrow’s 71-lap battle is run in the similar rain-lashed conditions that turned practice into a lottery.

Button out qualified team-mate Jacques Villeneuve for the second race in succession, although that could be due to the new qualifying format whereby drivers might have different fuel loads.

The weather is expected to take a turn for the worse again tomorrow meaning the race could start under the safety car.

Jordan’s Ralph Firman qualified in 16th spot – the best of his short Formula One career so far – while Minardi’s Justin Wilson, who has twice won at Interlagos in other categories, will line-up last on the grid in 20th place.

Coulthard must have been thinking he had secured his first pole in almost two years - a run of 30 races stretching back to Monaco in 2001 - only to see those hopes dashed despite a stunning lap in his McLaren.

But the 32-year-old Scot – second in the championship just six points behind team-mate Kimi Raikkonen who qualified fourth – is in a great position to repeat his victory in Brazil from two years ago.

Coulthard was thwarted by Barrichello, whose lap was greeted with flag waving by thousands of his delighted countrymen who will be hoping he can become the first Brazilian to win the race since Ayrton Senna a decade ago.

But no Brazilian has scored points in the race since Senna was killed at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

“It feels fantastic but I haven’t done anything yet,” said Barrichello, whose only points in Brazil was fourth in 1994 – before Senna was killed – when he drove for Jordan. “It’s tomorrow that counts and it is going to be a tough race.”

“I always seem to have a tough time here but it’s great to put the car on pole and see all the public though I was looking at Mark as well. But I am in a good position for tomorrow.”

Coulthard, who won the opening race in Australia, said: “That was my tidiest qualifying lap of the first three grands prix so far.

“You never feel as fulfilled as the old qualifying session but it was not a bad lap and it will be interesting to see who has got what fuel on board tomorrow.”

Webber said after claiming the best starting slot of his career: “This had nothing to do with what happened yesterday. The two guys in front might have more fuel for tomorrow but we are pretty competitive here.

“It’s going to be a long race for us but it’s been a good weekend so far. We have been working really hard.”