Schumi stumbles, Raikkonen in pole

Michael Schumacher’s bid for a record sixth Formula One crown suffered a major setback here when he finished seventh in qualifying for ...

Michael Schumacher’s bid for a record sixth Formula One crown suffered a major setback here when he finished seventh in qualifying for today’s United States Grand Prix.

Finland’s Kimi Raikkonen boosted his title hopes by capturing pole position which, together with Schumacher’s struggles, set the stage for high drama in today’s 73-lap showdown on the 4.192-km course at Indianapolis motor speedway.

“We should have a strong race,” Raikkonen said. “We have a good shot at winning. We don’t have much to lose – we have more to win than lose. We just need to do our best and hopefully it’s enough to win.”

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Schumacher goes into the race leading the championship with 82 points, three ahead of Colombia’s Juan Pablo Montoya, who will start fourth, and seven atop Raikkonen with two rounds remaining. Schumacher’s worst starting position of the season was eighth last month in Budapest, but the 34-year-old German — pole-sitter here the past three years — produced his second-worst qualifying effort of the year.

It was only the second career pole for Raikkonen, whose McLaren Mercedes also started from the top spot at the European Grand Prix, where he did not finish. Raikkonen’s lone triumph in three F1 seasons came at Malaysia in March.

“It’s always important to win the pole, but this comes at a good time, a crucial time for the championship,” Raikkonen said. “It’s one of my best. “We haven’t done much running this week. I wasn’t very happy with the car at all but we just got it right for qualifying.”