Schu shows the way again

Michael Schumacher is bang on course for a record-equalling sixth victory in the Monaco Grand Prix after blasting his way to top spot in first qualifying in Monte Carlo today.

The 34-year-old German, looking to match Ayrton Senna’s victory tally in Formula One’s most glamorous and prestigious race, looked in awesome form in his Ferrari.

Schumacher will now have the advantage of starting last in final qualifying on Saturday – tomorrow is the traditional rest day – when vital grid positions for a race where it is virtually impossible to overtake are decided.

The five-time world champion, now just two points behind in the standings after winning the last three races, powered round the tight and twisting streets to finish over 0.3 secs ahead of Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello.

Jenson Button was the best of the Brits with the third fastest time as he continued his excellent start to the season with his new BAR-Honda team.

The 23-year-old is hoping to score the first podium of his career on what is now home soil this weekend having equalled his best of fourth at the last race in Austria.

Button finished just under 0.6 secs adrift of Schumacher with former Renault team-mate Jarno Trulli, one of the pre-race tips for victory, just fractions slower in fourth spot.

David Coulthard – winner twice in the past three years – was fifth fastest but fellow McLaren driver and championship pacesetter Kimi Raikkonen was back in 11th spot after a ragged lap.

Rookie Ralph Firman was 13th fastest in his Jordan in his first qualifying outing on the track while Justin Wilson, who has raced in Monaco in F3000, was 17th for Minardi.

The two Minardi drivers both outqualified their Toyota rivals, Olivier Panis and Cristiano da Matta, who had a nightmare afternoon finishing 18th and 19th respectively and more than three seconds off the pace.

But Germany’s Heinz-Harald Frentzen will act the track cleaner on Saturday by going first out after the Ferrari engine in his Sauber blew-up on his qualifying lap ensuring he could not post a time.

The session was interrupted for around 25 minutes while the car was hoisted away and the track was cleaned of the oil the Sauber had deposited on the surface.