Highlights

Renault's Fisichella to start on pole

(AP)
Updated: 2006-03-19 14:18

Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella will start on pole Sunday in the Malaysian Grand Prix, with defending world champion Fernando Alonso seventh and Michael Schumacher 14th on the grid.

Italy's Giancarlo Fisichella in a Renault negotiates a turn during the qualifying session of the Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix Saturday, March 18, 2006 in Sepang. Fisichella upstaged teammate Fernando Alonso in the qualifying by winning the pole position, while also ruining another record-setting bid by Ferrari's Michael Schumacher.[AP]

After several engine changes, the starting grid was shuffled from the actual order of the qualifying times.

Alonson, who was eighth fastest, moved to seventh and the inside of the fourth row on after Schumacher dropped from fourth to 14th, FIA said. Schumacher had an engine change before qualifying. He had the fourth fastest time in his Ferrari.

Alonso won last year's race, while Schumacher won three times between 2000-04.

David Coulthard of Red Bull, Rubens Barrichello of Honda, Felipe Massa of Ferrari and Ralf Schumacher of Toyota were moved to the last two rows of the starting grid.

Ralf Schumacher had one of the fastest times in the second qualifying session then his engine failed in a mass of smoke.

The race is scheduled for 56 laps on the Sepang International Circuit.