French Grand Prix: Ralf geared to lead from the front

Wimbledon isn't the only place this weekend with a Williams versus Williams match. Formula One produced one too here yesterday, and it will intensify this afternoon. In a replay of qualifying for the recent Canadian Grand Prix, Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya wrapped up the front row of the grid for BMW-Williams, and are seemingly set to continue their remorseless push to the top of the world championship tables.

When everyone had done their best to set their cars up for dry conditions, after rain had spoiled Friday, Schumacher Jnr and Montoya proved to be in a class of their own. Rivals were left hoping that they had somehow opted for an arcane race strategy that would explain their pace. But for all the happy clapping that greeted the result, there was also the memory of Montreal to temper excessive optimism.

In that race, Michael Schumacher had driven one of the best races of his career to beat his younger brother and stir up the storm of criticism about the latter's driving that the world champion had then attempted to abate at the Nürburgring last weekend. Ralf himself went some way towards vindicating himself there with a stylish win from the front after Kimi Raikkonen's Mercedes engine grenaded itself while he was leading, but nobody here is counting on success until the chequered flag has dropped.

"We had all all-Williams front row in Montreal but we did not get the victory," their technical director, Patrick Head, said. "There are so many possibilities to get it wrong on race day. Ferrari might not look strong today, but you never underestimate Michael Schumacher."

The best the Ferrari driver could do yesterday afternoon was a lap of 1min 15.480sec, a great effort in a car whose Bridgestone tyres did not endow it with the same level of leech-like grip that the Michelin-shod cars enjoyed. Schumacher Jnr, by contrast, managed 1:15.019, having dipped into the 1:14s in morning practice. Montoya, meanwhile, recorded 1:15.136.

It was a topsy-turvy session, in which many fancied runners ran earlier than usual. Saturday's running order is the reverse of Friday's qualifying result, which is itself run according to the current world championship points order. After points leaders Michael Schumacher, Raikkonen, Ralf Schumacher, Montoya, Fernando Alonso, Rubens Barrichello and David Coulthard had done their runs on Friday on a wet track, the conditions changed, so that by the end of the session Minardi's Jos Verstappen had a bone-dry track and exploited it fully to take overnight pole.

But even though he had to start as early as fourth in the running order yesterday, Schumacher Jnr was able to assert his authority. This time, it was a good performance from the German.

"The weekend has started well but there are no points for pole position," he said. "But I did it when the track had yet to reach its optimum and with some understeer that I didn't have this morning, so I'm delighted with pole. It's obviously positive to be half a second in front of my brother's Ferrari and Kimi Raikkonen's McLaren-Mercedes. We got more top speed than this morning, which is important to defend your position at the end of the straight in the race."

In contrast to his team-mate, who was also fastest in morning practice, Montoya was unhappy with his car right up until the prequalifying warm-up. "Until then I didn't feel comfortable when I was pushing," the Colombian explained. "Then we changed almost everything, and on my qualifying run I had the best set-up I have had all weekend."

The speed of the white-and-blue cars, and the McLaren-Mercedes silver arrows not too far behind them, rammed home the advantage that Michelin had in their homeland. Only Schumacher Snr's flair prevented a clean sweep.

The world champion was the fastest on top speed and time in the first sector of the lap, but Ferrari was losing out over the rest of it. Team-mate Rubens Barrichello was left distraught by a sudden deterioration of his Ferrari's handling, as Raikkonen and Coulthard surged through to fourth and fifth fastest times. For the Scot in particular, this was gratifying after his recent problems. "I am optimistic for the race but curious to see whether Williams are doing anything different with their strategy or whether they are genuinely that quick," he said.

That, of course, is the big question. It remains to be seen whether BMW-Williams have a genuine edge, or whether Ferrari and Bridgestone, or McLaren and Michelin, have opted for a race strategy that will swing the balance in their favour when it really matters.