The Hindu : Sport : Alonso captures pole

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 04, 2004

Sport

Sport - Sports : General

Alonso captures pole

MAGNY COURS (FRANCE), JUNE 3. Rising Formula One star Fernando Alonso delighted the Renault home-country crowd to capture the pole position for the French Grand Prix ahead of six-time world champion Michael Schumacher.

Alonso had the fastest time of 1 minute, 13.698 seconds on the 4.411-km (2.74-mile) Nevers-Magny Cours circuit. That pleased the many fans here of the French carmaker.

"To be first at the home Grand Prix is very nice,'' the Spanish driver said. ``Now we have to see tomorrow.''

"Any pole position is great but to do it here is very important,'' he said.

Alonso had two pole positions last year. Last August, at Hungary, he took the pole and became the youngest Formula One driver to win a Grand Prix race, just a few weeks after celebrating his 22nd birthday. In March 2003, at Malaysia, he became the youngest Formula One driver to gain a pole position at the age of 21 years, eight months.

Schumacher was second in 1:13.971.

``We are in the first row so we will be there,'' the German said.

Schumacher is looking to extend his success for the season and at the French GP. So far this season he has won eight of nine races. He is a six-time French GP champion.

David Coulthard of Scotland was third in the new model of the McLaren-Mercedes, the first time his team has qualified in the top three this season.

``We have definitely taken a step forward,'' Coulthard said.

Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya had the fastest time in pre-qualifying, 1:13.377, after doing poorly in the last practice session, completing just eight laps with a best of 1:21.458 in his Williams-BMW.

However, in qualifying he placed sixth with a time of 1:14.172.

Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, second in the last three races behind Schumacher, had to start first in qualifying after hydraulic problems prevented him from going out in pre-qualifying. He had a time of 1:14.478 for the 10th position.

Qualifying still had the controversial one-lap system in effect. Under the system, each car goes out for a lap to establish a pre-qualifying time before returning for the official qualifying.

The teams submitted a proposal to change the system but it was rejected earlier in the week by Formula One authorities. The system has already been changed once this season.

Sunday's race is 70 laps. — AP

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport