Hot Schu grabs Sepang pole

Newly-crowned World Champion Michael Schumacher stormed to pole position for the season-ending Malaysian Grand Prix in Kuala Lumpur.  

Schumacher dominated the session to move closer to celebrating Ferrari's first title double since 1979.

The German and team-mate Rubens Barrichello, who was fourth fastest, need just three points to add the constructors' title to the drivers' crown that Schumacher secured in Japan two weeks ago.

Deposed champion Mika Hakkinen and his McLaren team-mate David Coulthard had to settle for second and third places respectively.

Johnny Herbert marked the final qualifying session of his Formula One career with the 11th fastest time, while Jaguar Racing team-mate Eddie Irvine was seventh.

Jenson Button qualified back in 16th spot for his final race for Williams BMW before he begins a two-year loan deal at Benetton next season.

But the session was again all about Schumacher who showed there will be no easing off the pace despite his victory in Japan which clinched his third drivers' crown and Ferrari's first for 21 years.

Schumacher took his fourth pole in succession - he has won all three previous races - by the comfortable margin of 0.4seconds from Hakkinen.

It was his ninth pole of the season and the 32nd of his astonishing 145-race career.

Schumacher needs to win Sunday's 56-lap battle to equal the record of nine victories in a season he shared with Britain's 1992 world beater Nigel Mansell.

The Swiss-based racer would have won last year's maiden race on the Sepang track, but gifted victory to then team-mate Eddie Irvine who was fighting for the Drivers' Championship with Hakkinen.

Schumacher had promised to hand the race to Barrichello if possible, but the Brazilian will first have to get past the McLarens.

Barrichello has to win to stand any chance of overhauling Coulthard to seize third place overall in the Drivers' standings behind Hakkinen.

The Cambridge-based racer looked to have completed a Ferrari clean sweep with just seconds left in the session.

But his celebrations were rudely interrupted as in the space of a few seconds first Coulthard, then Hakkinen posted quicker times.

Alexander Wurz marked his final session for Benetton - he will be McLaren's test driver next year - by celebrating his best qualifying session of the season.

The Austrian finished fifth just ahead of former world champion Jacques Villeneuve of British American Racing.

Schumacher, who needed just eight of his permitted 12 laps after going quickest on his first run, said: "It was not as easy as it looked.

"I do feel sorry for Rubens. He has had flu all weekend it has not been easy for him.

"When he was second it really brought him up, but after going third and then fourth was obviously disappointing."

Coulthard, who was quickest in final practice, said: "It is incredibly close - just get one exit wrong and you lose the time.

"I am disappointed to be so far away from Michael. The car is not working 100 per cent, but it is easy to imagine where we can go quicker.

"And it is who takes the chequered flag on Sunday that counts."