Monaco, May 31: Germany's Ralf Schumacher claimed his first pole position of the season and only the second of his career here today to create an obstacle to his brother Michael Schumacher's bid for a record-equalling sixth Monaco Grand Prix victory on Sunday.
Williams driver Schumacher set a time of 1min 15.259 secs to claim his second career pole, 0.036 secs ahead of Finn Kimi Raikkonen, of Mclaren, the world championship leader, after Ferrari star Schumacher managed only the fifth fastest time.
Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya finished third, 0.152 secs behind his Williams team-mate, with Italian Jarno Trulli fourth for Renault to give the front of the grid an unusual look.
The two Ferraris finished fifth and seventh, with Scot David Coulthard of Mclaren, splitting Schumacher and seventh-placed Brazilian Rubens Barrichello.
Spaniard Fernando Alonso was eighth in the second Renault with Australian Mark Webber ninth for Jaguar and Brazilian Cristiano Da Matta tenth in the Toyota, but 1.485 secs off the pace.



Heinz-Harald Frentzen set a benchmark time of one min 17.402 secs but that was beaten by more than half a second by Da Matta before French man Olivier Panis slotted into third.



Briton Justin Wilson, the next man out in his Minardi, controlled a slide as he headed into the swimming pool section but lost time and finished 3.319 seconds off Da Matta's pace.



Antonio Pizzonia was out next in the Jaguar but he could not better Da Matta's time and finished three and a half tenths slower than his countryman.


Bureau Report