Schumi in driving seat for championship and Japanese Grand Prix

By Jens Marx Oct 7, 2006, 14:21 GMT

German Formula One driver Michael Schumacher of Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team steers his car ahead of his teammate Brazilian Felipe Massa during the Qualifying Session at the Japanese racetrack in Suzuka, Japan, Saturday 07 October 2006. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON

Suzuka, Japan - Although he managed only second place in Saturday's qualifying session for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher was all smiles afterwards.

The German will start from the front row alongside his team-mate Felipe Massa who needed one minute 29.599 seconds for the 5.807 kilometre-long Suzuka track.

Schumacher, who was .112 seconds behind, said he went into the race feeling very positive. 'I think the car has shown the whole weekend that it is very competitive. I am happy that Felipe is starting from first, he was very fast and I do not think I could have achieved first.'

Schumacher's brother Ralf took his Toyota to third on the grid for the first time this season with the third-fastest time and will start alongside his team-mate Jarno Trulli.

Unlike last weekend, when the weather played havoc with the qualifying session, it stayed dry in Saturday's session and the cars with Bridgestone tyres made the most of the conditions.

There was disappointment for Renault though as defending champion Fernando Alonso managed only the fifth-fastest time to qualify for the third grid row.

Giancarlo Fisichella was sixth fastest with the fourth row belonging to the two Hondas of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello.

Ralf Schumacher said he hoped that the team managed to stay ahead of the Renaults during the race. 'If we have a good start, there is nothing that should prevent us from having a good race.'

All four cars on the front two rows are on Bridgestone tyres and Massa said he was happy that the company had provided such good tyres.

'The last weekend we had some problems, but this time around everything went fine. I think the fact that Bridgestone has the top four cars speaks for itself.'

Schumacher leads the championship standings ahead of the penultimate race because he has won one Grand Prix race more than his closest rival, Alonso.

Both have 116 points.

'I have always said though and I still say that I think the championship will only be decided in the final race in Brazil, but I still hope to have a good result in the race.

'But there is still too much that could happen, so I do not want to say that the results in the qualifying have brought me much closer to the championship.'

Two German drivers complete the top ten for Sunday's race, with Nick Heidfeld in a Sauber-BMW ninth with another Bridgestone driver, Nico Rosberg in a Williams achieving the tenth-fastest time.