Five poles in a row for Montoya

Juan Pablo Montoya set up a French Grand Prix clash with Ferrari's world champion Michael Schumacher after storming to a fifth successive pole on Saturday.

The Colombian, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Saturday was also his country's Independence Day, has now put his Williams on pole six times in 11 races and has not been beaten in qualifying since Austria in May.

"Twentieth of July? Yes, it's good," he said when reminded of the significance of the date.

"For me the biggest pleasure is to get the fifth pole in such a close fight."

Schumacher, fastest halfway through the session, was just 0.023 slower after struggling to make his flying laps count on a sweltering day in central France.

"We had a great battle together," said Montoya. "It was very close. I had a very good last lap but I made a mistake in the last corner."

The German could claim a record-equalling fifth championship in Sunday's race with an unprecedented six rounds to spare but he has to beat Montoya and his own Brazilian mate Rubens Barrichello by six points.

"We have good battles together, all three of us, so I'm looking forward to having another one out there," said Schumacher.

Barrichello qualified third, alongside McLaren's young Finn Kimi Raikkonen.

"This morning I didn't feel good with the car and we have made lots of improvements so it's quite a good position for the start of the race tomorrow," said Barrichello.

JAGUAR REVIVED

Montoya set a series of fastest laps, his best coming after the chequered flag just seconds before Schumacher forced his way onto the front row.

His time of 1:11.985 was a second faster than last year's pole of 1:12.989 set by Schumacher's younger brother Ralf, who was fifth fastest for Williams.

David Coulthard completed the third row for McLaren while fellow Briton Jenson Button and Italian Jarno Trulli gave Renault the fourth row in the team's home grand prix.

Briton Eddie Irvine revived Jaguar's flagging spirits with ninth place on the grid, the team's first top 10 qualifying position of the year.

"There is no doubt that we have a better car," he said. "I'd say we are in with an outside chance of a point tomorrow."

Malaysian Alex Yoong, who has failed to qualify twice this season, made the cut but Sunday's race will have just 19 starters rather than the normal 22.

Neither of the two Arrows drivers, Heinz-Harald Frentzen of Germany and Brazilian Enrique Bernoldi, qualified after attempting just one fast lap each.

Jordan's Italian Giancarlo Fisichella did not take part after a big crash in morning practice.

Jordan had hoped Fisichella might be granted an exemption but doctors later ruled the Italian out after checks at Nevers hospital.

"I feel alright, I just have a slight headache and some neck pain," said the driver, who escaped serious injury when his car's front wing collapsed and he plunged at speed into the tyre wall.

"The doctor told me it's not possible for me to race because of the very big deceleration I experienced in the accident, so I'm going to rest in preparation for Hockenheim."