Schumacher sets the pace

Coulthard: Only the ninth pole of his career

Michael Schumacher was quickest in warm-up on Sunday morning ahead of the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.

The Ferrari star delighted his German fans with an impressive display on home soil as he looks to win his fourth race of the Formula One season.

But he will start second on the grid behind the McLaren of David Coulthard, who claimed pole position on Saturday.

At times a forced break can do you good

David Coutlhard

Coulthard overshadowed the German and his McLaren team-mate Mika Hakkinen by securing the fastest time in qualifying.

Schumacher had been hoping to dominate on his return to the Nurburgring, which lies just an hour's drive from his birthplace, after he missed last season's racing on home soil due to injury.

But his Scottish rival turned in a blistering qualifying time of 1 min 17.529 secs to claim his first pole since Canada in 1998, and McLaren's first ever top spot at the European GP.

Lining up behind them, following a rain-hit qualifying session, will be reigning champion Hakkinen - still 14 points adrift of Schumacher - and the other Ferrari driven by Rubens Barrichello.

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Jenson Button, whose ride with Williams is rumoured to be under threat, finished well down the table in 11th after an earlier crash in the practice session.

Coulthard's rich vein of form is all the more surprising after it was disclosed that he cracked three ribs in the jet crash that killed his two pilots ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix on 2 May.

He admitted that his injuries had forced him to take a different approach to training.

"I have not been training in the usual way," said the Scotsman.

"At times a forced break can do you good, but it's frustrating."

Fast-moving showers disrupted the whole day. All the drivers waited until the final five minutes when the weather cleared slightly to have one final sprint at improving their times.

Schumacher is the only German to have won at the Nurburgring - in 1995 - since the Formula One era started 50 years ago.

Grid positions

1. David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren one minute 17.529 seconds (average speed 211.554 kp/h)
2. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari 1:17.667
3. Mika Hakkinen (Finland) McLaren 1:17.785
4. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 1:18.227
5. Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams 1:18.515
6. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Jordan 1:18.612
7. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Benetton 1:18.697
8. Eddie Irvine (Britain) Jaguar 1:18.703
9. Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) BAR 1:18.742
10. Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Jordan 1:18.830
11. Jenson Button (Britain) Williams 1:18.887
12. Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) Arrows 1:19.024
13. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Prost 1:19.147
14. Jos Verstappen (Netherlands) Arrows 1:19.190
15. Alexander Wurz (Austria) Benetton 1:19.378
16. Pedro Diniz (Brazil) Sauber 1:19.422
17. Johnny Herbert (Britain) Jaguar 1:19.638
18. Jean Alesi (France) Prost 1:19.651
19. Ricardo Zonta (Brazil) BAR 1:19.766
20. Mika Salo (Finland) Sauber 1:19.814
21. Marc Gene (Spain) Minardi 1:20.162
22. Gaston Mazzacane (Argentina) Minardi 1:21.015