Britain's Damon Hill won the pole position Saturday for the Brazilian Grand Prix, fighting off a surprise challenge from hometown favorite Rubens Barichello.
The British driver set a fast lap of 1 minute 18.111 seconds in his Williams Renault around the twisting 2.637-mile Jose Carlos Pace track."The engine is perfectly suitable for providing the horsepower and drivability needed for (the) race," said Hill. "It's a strong car, reliable in every aspect. I'm confident all will go well."
But it was Barichello who stole the show, taking second in his yellow Jordan Peugeot.
The Brazilian's best lap of 1:19.092 threw a wrench into the predicted Williams-team duel between Hill and Formula One rookie Jacques Villeneuve of Canada.
"This is just too much to believe," said Barichello as his second-place finish was officially confirmed.
Villeneuve, who finished second in the season opener in Australia behind Hill, took third in his Williams Renault in 1:19.254.
It looked as if the 1995 IndyCar Series champ might overtake Barichello in his 12th and final qualifying lap.
But his blue-and-white car spun out of control on the first right-hand curve, lost its nose wing as it bounced along the edge of the track and rolled to a stop in a gravel pit.
"As I turned in I hit a bump, which threw me wide," said Villeneuve. "I didn't want to take my foot off the accelerator because it was a good lap up to that point. But now I think I should have."
German Michael Schumacher will start on the outside row of the second lane beside Villeneuve after posting the fourth best time, 1:19.474, in his red Ferrari.
Several drivers complained about the sun and 87-degree heat that slowed the cars as the one-hour session went along. But many agreed the track was smoother than in previous years.
Brazil's Pedro Paulo Diniz and Olivier Panis of France were disqualified from Sunday's race.
At Bristol, Tenn., Mark Martin kept flexing that Busch Grand National muscle.
He came up with his second straight victory and third in six BGN starts this season, taking Saturday's Goody's Headache Powders 250 at Bristol International Speedway.
The Winston Cup regular, who also runs about two-thirds of the BGN schedule, has driven his Jack Roush Ford to four top-fives and has finished in the top 10 in five of those starts this year.