Schumacher shines but Webber takes pole position

Monaco: Michael Schumacher rolled back the years in electrifying fashion to qualify fastest for the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix yesterday, only to be deprived of a sensational pole position by a five place grid penalty.

Red Bull's Australian Mark Webber, who had qualified in second place, instead inherited the top slot — which will make it the second time in two races that the fastest driver on Saturday has not started first on Sunday.

Schumacher, 43 and in the third season of his comeback with Mercedes, had picked up his penalty at the previous Spanish Grand Prix for a collision with Brazilian Bruno Senna's Williams in Barcelona. Without it, the German would have been on pole for the first time since the 2006 French Grand Prix and 69th time in his extraordinary career.

Tough times

Yesterday's qualifying was still a triumph for the seven-times world champion and winner of 91 races including five in Monaco, who has yet to stand on the podium since he retired from Ferrari in 2006.

"What a little star," declared his admiring team principal Ross Brawn, the former Benetton and Ferrari technical head who has been by the German's side throughout his career.

"I have to confess it brought a little tear to my eye. He's had some tough times since he came back," added Brawn.

Schumacher's teammate and fellow-German Nico Rosberg will line up alongside Webber on the front row with McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and Frenchman Romain Grosjean, driving a Lotus, behind the front pair.