Length: 5.303 km
Number of Laps: 58 (307.574 Km)
Best Lap: M. Schumacher - 1'24''215 (2004, Ferrari)
Record Pole: M. Schumacher - 1'24''408 (2004, Ferrari)
2005 Pole: M. Webber - 1'28''279 (Williams)
2005 Podium: G. Fisichella - R. Barrichello - F. Alonso

Jenson Button emerged on top in a thrilling final session, the Honda driver delivering what has been promised all season with a stunning final lap that put Renault drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and World Champion Fernando Alonso firmly in the shade.

Mclaren men Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Raikkonen finished fourth and fifth, with the resurgent Toyota of Ralf Schumacher a promising sixth.

Surprise of the first segment was Rubens Barrichellos failure to progress, his best lap badly baulked by the Super Aguri of Yuji Ide who had previously brought out the red flags with a spin.

Barrichello joined the other Super Aguri of Takuma Sato, the two Midlands of Christijan Albers and Tiago Monteiro, and Scott Speed in the Toro Rosso in the 'drop' zone.

Segment two also produced surprises as Felipe Massa spun his Ferrari into the barriers to stop the session with five minutes to go. That was one Ferrari out, but when rain began to fall in the last couple of minutes, the second Ferrari of Michael Schumacher was doomed also.

Adding to Maranello woes, both Red Bull Racing cars of David Coulthard and Christian Klien were also eliminated at this stage, along with Nico Rosberg, struggling in the Williams, and Vitantonio Liuzzi in the remaining Toro Rosso.

The rain abated during the break, and further clouds moved away, leaving a drying track for the final top ten shoot-out.

The biggest surprise of the session so far had been the pace of the two Toyota's. Having looked so dire in the opening two rounds of the year, it appeared the conditions in Australia were suiting the cars better as they emerged as the fastest of the Bridgestone runners.

Jarno Trulli, however, suffered disappointment in the final 'shoot out', failing to set a lap after a gearbox problem curtailed his running.

With six minutes of the session left the remaining runners changed to new tyres and the pace hotted up. First man to set a time was Juan Pablo Montoya, the Mclaren man having looked quick all session.

Mark Webber, meanwhile, had taken the Williams on a trip across the grass, and called into the pits for new tyres and adjustments to his front wing.

On track Fernando Alonso went fastest, first man in the 1:25's in this session, as Juan Pablo Montoya spun further around the circuit and managed to recover.

It was then that Jenson Button threw down the gauntlet, immediately taking half a second out of Alonso's time with a stunning 1:25.229.

Despite last gasp efforts by both Mclaren men this proved untouchable, the Britons lap a perfect foil to the strong challengers around him.

With Fisichella joining Button on the front row, the second row will be Alonso and Montoya, while Raikkonen and Ralf Schumacher's Toyota line up fifth and sixth.

Mark Webber may be slightly disappointed to start seventh after promising so much here at home in Australia, and will line up alongside ex-team mate Nick Heidfeld who looked strong all session in the BMW-Sauber.

Jacques Villeneuve, in the second BMW-Sauber, qualified ninth but will start in 19th place, having suffered a ten place penalty following an engine change yesterday, so rounding out the top ten grid positions will be Jarno Trulli, who could have been higher but for the gearbox problem, and Michael Schumacher a disappointed tenth in the Ferrari.

With rain showers threatening today there is every chance that what will undoubtedly be an enthralling race could possibly feature the additional excitement of changeable weather.

Button will be looking to shed the weight of the much publicised '100 races yet no win' tag from an excellent pole position, while Renault will be looking to consolidate their 100% win record. McLaren, yet to win this season, will be right there too.