Button on pole

Jenson Button produced the best qualifying performance of his career to clinch pole position for tomorrow’s San Marino Grand Prix and bring to an end Michael Schumacher’s perfect start to the season.

Button conjured up a blistering lap of the Imola circuit to finish almost 0.3 seconds ahead of the previously unassailable Schumacher, and will head the field in what will be his 71st race.

The 24-year-old had snapped at the heels of Schumacher throughout practice, finishing top of the standings yesterday, and second this morning to the Ferrari star, just 0.025secs adrift.

But he underlined his potential and that of his BAR, and now has the opportunity to score his best race finish after being on the podium in third in his last two grands prix in Malaysia and Bahrain.

Button’s previous best qualifying performance had been third in Belgium in his debut season in 2000, but his lap of one minute 19.753 seconds is the quickest seen at Imola.

Schumacher had previously dominated free practice, the 35-year-old German quickest both yesterday and this morning, but had to settle for the third fastest time in pre-qualifying behind the Williams-BMW duo of Juan Pablo Montoya and brother Ralf.

Schumacher had clinched pole in the first three grands prix of this season, from which he went on to take maximum points, but he was forced to settle for second this time.

He had been on course to smash Button’s time, but suffered a hairy moment at the Variante Alta where he just managed to hold the car, which ultimately cost him dear as he finished with a time of 1:20.011

Montoya had posted the first sub-80 second lap in pre-qualifying to ensure he had the advantage of going out last, but he was unable to make that count, taking third.

The second Ferrari of Rubens Barrichello, second in the championship race nine points adrift of Schumacher, produced his fastest lap of the weekend with a 1:20.451 for fourth, with Ralf Schumacher fifth and the Renault of Fernando Alonso sixth.

Kimi Raikkonen’s horrendous season continued, as the Finn – who has yet to finish a grand prix so far – will start on the back row of the grid for the second successive race, with only the Sauber of Giancarlo Fisichella behind him due to a gearbox problem.

The McLaren’s reliability problems again reared their ugly head, with the 24-year-old – as in qualifying in Bahrain three weeks ago – suffering further engine trouble.

Raikkonen did nothing more than an out lap to scrub his tyres for the race, before the mechanics then got to work on changing a troubled engine which has led to retirements in Australia and Bahrain.

Team-mate David Coulthard at least managed his fast lap, but again finds himself down the field in a lowly 11th, the Scot finishing almost 1.5secs off the pace.

An understandably delighted Button said: ``It was a great lap and I enjoyed it very much.

“I am very happy and I don’t think there were any mistakes. It’s the first time in my Formula One career I’ve had no cars in front of me.

“But it’s a fantastic feeling getting pole here on Ferrari’s home turf. It’s up to me now.”