Schumacher gains pole positon
(AP)
Updated: 2006-07-15 21:22
MAGNY COURS, France - Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher led a
Ferrari sweep of the front row to claim pole position for the French Grand Prix
on Sunday.
It was the 68th career pole and fourth of the season for
Schumacher on a hot Saturday afternoon in the French countryside wth track
temperatures above 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit).
Schumacher
clocked 1 minute 15.493 seconds with Felipe Massa second at 1:15.510.
Current world champion Fernando Alonso was third in his Renault with
1:15.785.
In the season's 10 races so far, Alonso has five poles and
Schumacher four. They also have six and three victories respectively.
With seven victories already at the French GP, Schumacher is looking to
become the first driver to win a single race eight times.
Alonso
dominated last year's French GP, leading McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen and Schumacher
to the podium.
Ferrari's return to form continued two weeks ago when
seven-time world champion Schumacher led a 1-2 finish at the United States GP.
It was his third win in 10 races this year and the 87th of his career.
The other seven 2006 races have gone to Renault - six to Alonso and the
other to Giancarlo Fisichella.
Alonso's fifth place at Indianapolis was
his lowest finish of the season and the first time he has been off the podium
since finishing 11th at the Hungarian GP in July 2005.
Still, the
Spaniard has a comfortable 88-69 lead over Schumacher in the drivers standings.
McLaren-Mercedes has a new driver for the race with Pedro de la Rosa of
Spain, who replaced Juan Pablo Montoya this week.
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