Length: 5.418 km
Number of Laps: 60 (308.863 Km)
Best Lap: M. Schumacher - 1'29''468 (2004, Ferrari)
Record Pole: M. Schumacher - 1'28''351 (2004, Ferrari)
2005 Pole: N. Heidfeld - 1'30''081 (Williams)
2005 Podium: F. Alonso - N. Heidfeld - R. Barrichello

Pole position for the European Grand Prix was Alonso’s reward as he took charge of qualifying and fought off the toughest of challenges from his title rival Michael Schumacher (Ferrari).

The pair once again proved the protagonists of the day as they fought for the top position, finishing just two tenths of a second apart.

The remainder of the field was in a fight for the second row and below below, Schumacher’s Scuderia teammate Felipe Massa winning that battle with the third fastest time.

Fourth fastest was Rubens Barrichello, the first time the Brazilian had out qualified Jenson Button (sixth) since joining Honda at the beginning of the year.

In between the Brackley-based pair was Kimi Raikkonen of McLaren. The Finn had complained earlier in the weekend that his MP4-21 lacked the killer pace and he was seemingly proved correct as McLaren were once again missing from the fight for pole.

Jarno Trulli (Toyota), Jacques Villeneuve (BMW Sauber), Juan Pablo Montoya (McLaren), and Mark Webber (Williams) rounded out the top ten drivers.

However Webber will be robbed of that position after an engine change earlier in the weekend saw him slapped with a ten-spot grid penalty.

Making matters worse for the Australian’s Williams outfit was the fact that his teammate, Nico Rosberg (12th), suffered the same fate.

Damaged piston rods were believed to be the reason behind the changes that saw the squad’s prospects of success at the ‘Ring plummet before the race had started.

Williams’ woes were good news for Giancarlo Fisichella (Renault) who will move up two postions to 11th after struggling to a lowly 13th fastest.

The Italian, who won the Malaysian Grand Prix five weeks ago, claims he was bauked by Villeneuve on his fastest lap.

So frustrated was Fisichella that he stormed into the BMW garage to confront his rival after being relegated in the second qualifying segment.

Earlier in the session there were frustrations for the entire paddock after a red flag was shown by mistake causing chaos on the circuit.

Drivers started diving for the pits only to see the flags with drawn and the final few minutes tick away compromising their attempts at setting a final quick time.