For Michelin it would be the BMW WilliamsF1 team who would secure the highest starting positions on the grid. WilliamsF1 driver Ralf Schumacher was third fastest, less than half a second behind the pole time

Michelin drivers favour the softer of the two available dry-weather compounds this weekend and this worked well in extremely slippery conditions that have caused most of the world's leading drivers to run off the track at least once during the weekend.

Ralf is joined by WilliamsF1 team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya on the second row after the Colombian finished in fourth. Renault's Jarno Trulli is in sixth while his team-mate Jenson Button is ninth. The McLaren pair of David Coulthard and Kimi Raikkonen are tenth and eleventh.

Pierre Dupasquier, Michelin Motorsport Director, responded to several questions.

You don't have any representatives on the front row this weekend, although Ralf Schumacher (BMW WilliamsF1 Team) was close to the pace of the leading cars. Are you happy with the way things have gone in general?

"Yes, I am. Getting two cars onto the second row is a pretty good result for us and proves that Williams and BMW have done an awful lot of hard work to create a good package. Even after this morning's final free practice, we didn't think we would be this close to the pace. That element of today's performance has been very satisfactory, and the Renaults have shown a good turn of speed, too. On the flipside, yesterday McLaren-Mercedes was very competitive and we share their sens e of disappointment that the things did not turn out that way during the qualifying session."

Have you found a reason for the tyre damage on David Coulthard's McLaren yesterday?

"In fact there was no damage. The tyre was knocked of the rim when he hit the kerb. Sometimes the bead can be on seated like this. When we put pressure back in the tyre it was fine."

Traditionally this is a two-stop race. Have you seen anything to make you think things will be different this time?

"Obviously some teams might take an alternative approach, but the data suggests a two-stop strategy will be quickest. From what we have seen so far we have absolutely no concerns about tyre wear."

Does that mean you have perhaps taken a slightly too conservative approach?

"No, I don't think so. We don't have a problem with tyre wear, but then we don't have much margin for error either. If the track temperature rises tomorrow, which the forecast suggests it might, then the tyre situation is likely to change. We will have to wait and see. Either way, I don't anticipate any problems."

Yesterday your partner teams found your softer, option (B) tyre to be best suited to the conditions. Is that the only compound we will see in tomorrow's race?

"It's safe to say that..."