Qualifying lapwatch: Belgian GP

All the action, minute-by-minute, from the Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium as the world's top F1 drivers vie for pole position in tricky weather conditions.
All times in BST.

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Leading qualification times:
1. Montoya, 1:52.072
2. Ralf Schumacher, 1:52.959
3. Michael Schumacher, 1:54.685
4. Frentzen, 1:55.233
5. Barrichello, 1:56.116
6. Villeneuve, 1:57.038
7. Hakkinen, 1:57.043
8. Fisichella, 1:57.558
9. Coulthard, 1:58.088
10. De la Rosa, 1:58.519

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Qualifying times upheld

1304: There is a steward's enquiry about Montoya's last lap. If no fault is found, the Colombian will be on pole, joined on the front row by his Williams team-mate, Ralf Schumacher.

1303: Frentzen goes fourth fastest as Coulthard is left to rue his decision to stay out on the track without changing tires.

1302: Montoya is going at a blistering pace and looks certain to take back pole. Schumi can only finish third.

1300: Ralf goes faster still as the chequered flag comes out. Only those on a lap can finish. Michael Schumacher - down to third - has one more throw of the dice.

1258: Heidfeld stalls on the track as the other drivers make their final push for a high grid position. Montoya is flying and goes fastest in 1:55.875.

1257: Coulthard retakes thrid spot with a time of 1:58.008, but he may have run out of time to switch to slicks.

1255: Hakkinen fails in his bid to wrest pole from Michael Schumcher. Drivers are gambling on slicks for the final push as an exciting climax looms.

1253: Qualification is still ominously quiet as the fastest drivers wait until the end to make their bid on a drying track.

1250: The big guns have important tire decisions to make as qualification enters its final 10 minutes. Barrichello's Ferrari goes third fastest.

1248: Montoya lies fifth, having completed only one fast lap. Racing is very congested as the drivers attempt to squeeze out their 12 laps in this rain-shortened session.

1245: Schumi goes quicker still, posting a time of 1:56.921 on his Bridgestone intermediates. Only 15 minutes remain as the action hots up.

1242: Ralf is well off the pace. The conditions are still difficult.
Current order:
1. Schumacher 1:57.271
2. Hakkinen 1:58.370
3. Coulthard 1:58.491

1240: The track is not ready for slicks yet, but it is drying out gradually. Michael Schumacher goes quickest with a time of 1:57.271. His brother Ralf takes the circuit for the first time.

1238: Coulthard's first completed lap yields him a time of 1:58.894. He leads the way with Hakkinen second.

1236: Hakkinen goes through in 2:00.724 to set the new pace. Michael Schumacher joins the fray.

1233: Eddie Irvine goes faster in his Jaguar as the mass exodus from the pits starts. Mika Hakkinen joins the qualification session as does David Coulthard.

1230: Half-way through qualifying and Nick Heidfeld hauls his Sauber on to the drenched Spa circuit. He sets the first lap time of 2 minutes 2.7 seconds.

1227:The first man out is Tarso Marques, of Brazil. The other drivers are watching his Minardi closely and will not be impressed when it suffers a minor spin-out.

1222: The sun makes its first appearance for some time as the drivers prepare to launch their qualification bids. Some 22 minutes have passed and not a single wheel has turned in anger.

1215: Still no action on the track. Juan Pablo Montoya was fastest during free practice, followed by Ralf Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen. David Coulthard was fourth fastest, but none of this will matter when official qualification heats up.

1210: Tactics prevail and no driver has chanced his luck on a wet circuit that may soon dry with the prospect of brighter weather to come.