Video: Michael Schumacher Takes a Stunning Pole in Sepang 2001

Once again, we turn back the F1 clock to relive a classic moment. It was 17th March, 2001 and the 2nd race of the season. Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher took a stunning pole position ahead of his teammate Rubens Barrichello and younger brother Ralf Schumacher. Ralf had set the benchmark time of a 1:35.511. Michael set off on his flying lap and was under Ralf’s time in sector 1 with a 24.475. He was 0.068 seconds ahead at the time.

By the second sector, Schumacher had already beaten Ralf’s time by 0.300 seconds. The younger German had set a 56.579 while Michael set a 56.279. By the end of the lap, the final corner looked a little scrappy as he had to correct the car. But it did not matter much because he snatched pole position from his brother. Analysing the final stint of the lap, he did lose 0.009 seconds as the gap between him and Ralf was 0.291 seconds. Schumacher set a lap time of 1:35.220 to start on pole position

Just looking at the lap, it almost seemed as if the car was on rails. It was like, as one would say, threading a needle. many described it as a smooth and phenomenal lap. Teammate Rubens Barrichello could only get within 0.099 seconds with a 1:35.319 as Ferrari locked out the front row.