Schumacher pips Hakkinen for U.S. pole

Michael Schumacher swept to pole position at the U.S. Grand Prix on Saturday and said he hoped to put a smile back on American faces.

It was the 42nd pole of the Formula One world champion's remarkable career, the Ferrari driver's 10th in 16 races this year, and his second in a row at Indianapolis.

McLaren's Mika Hakkinen was second quickest.

"We have lots of supporters here in the USA and obviously with all that has happened...we'd like to put a smile back on the faces of the people and put on a good show," said Schumacher referring to the recent attacks on America.

"Hopefully we can do that."

The 32-year-old did not even require his full allowance of 12 timed laps to achieve the fastest time of a low-key session marked only by Czech Tomas Enge crashing his Prost at the end.

Schumacher, who set his fastest time of one minute 11.708 seconds with eight minutes remaining, decided to call it a day after nine laps.

"It wasn't that I was confident I wouldn't be beaten, I was confident that I couldn't improve," he said. "I had achieved the maximum so it was not worth it to go out again."

He was proved right and Hakkinen, who had topped the timesheets until then, was unable to fight back.

Hakkinen Second
The two times champion, heading for a year's sabbatical after the next race, was 0.237 seconds slower but still delighted to be on the front row a day after his 33rd birthday.

The two BMW-powered Williams of Ralf Schumacher and Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya filled the second row, ahead of Ferrari's Brazilian Rubens Barrichello and German Nick Heidfeld in a Sauber.

"We didn't expect to be where we are, we have struggled all weekend for as balance," said Ralf, whose team mate Montoya had taken three of the last four poles and who has himself won three times.

"It's going to be a difficult race for us."

McLaren's David Coulthard, fighting to stay ahead of Barrichello in second place in the championship, was only seventh quickest.

Scot Struggles
The Scot said he had struggled with oversteer but could have been far higher: "Whatever happens, I'm not going to be happy with the way the car has performed up until this point," he added.

"We'll just try to get the best out of the race, get some points, get on to Suzuka, get the season over with and concentrate on next year."

Schumacher's pole set him up for a possible ninth victory of the season on Sunday. The German won his fourth world championship in Hungary in August with four races to spare and also triumphed here last year.

He slashed his 2000 pole of 1:14.266 and his lap was the fastest ever by a Formula One car on the circuit inaugurated at 'The Brickyard' last year.

Briton Jenson Button continued his improved qualifying form that started at the last race in Monza by again outpacing Italian team mate Giancarlo Fisichella.

Button was 10th fastest, his highest qualifying of the year, Fisichella 12th.

Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, who won the Indy 500 here on his way to the CART title in 1995, had a nightmare day and was only 18th fastest out of 22.

That left him behind the surprisingly quick Minardi of Spaniard Fernando Alonso.