Schumi’s wake-up call

Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher gave his Formula One rivals a wake-up call on Friday with a blistering lap in the first qualifying session...

Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher gave his Formula One rivals a wake-up call on Friday with a blistering lap in the first qualifying session for Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix.

The five times world champion, pushed off the podium in Australia two weeks ago for the first time since 2001, screamed around the Sepang circuit nearly a second quicker than his closest non-Ferrari opponent.

His Brazilian team mate Rubens Barrichello, last out of the pit lane under the new single-lap format after being the first retirement in Melbourne, was second quickest to reassert Ferrari’s authority.

Story continues below this ad

“As predicted, Michael Schumacher and Ferrari are still the benchmark,” commented Norbert Haug, motorsport director of McLaren’s partners Mercedes.

Schumacher’s lap of one minute 34.980 seconds was comfortably faster than his own 2002 pole time of 1:35.266 and Left him well-placed to notch up a fifth successive pole position in Malaysia in Saturday’s final shoot-out.

Barrichello’s time was 0.701 adrift of the German, a two-time winner in four races at Sepang.

“We had a great day today, without any mistakes and the track was quite clean,” said Schumacher.

Story continues below this ad

“My lap was neat and tidy…overall we are very happy with these conditions and our starting position for tomorrow’s qualifying.” Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya, in a Williams, was third quickest in 1:35.939 ahead of McLaren’s young Finn Kimi Raikkonen. (Reuters)