MAGNY-COURSE, France, July 20 (UPI) -- Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya edged Michael Schumacher to claim his fifth successive pole position in Saturday's qualifying for the Formula One French Grand Prix.
Montoya set a series of fastest laps, his best coming after the checkered flag at one minute, 11.985 seconds just before Schumacher forced his way on to the front row.
The Colombian has been on the pole six times in 11 races and has not been beaten in qualifying since Austria in May.
Schumacher, who can claim a record-tying fifth F1 championship in Sunday's race, had two of his qualifying times canceled by stewards for cutting corners. The German's best time was 1:12.008.
"It was straightforward that I missed the apex on the last chicane and ran wide," Schumacher said of his first disallowed run. "Then we had another one in the fast chicane where the car ran wide and it was quite right they took the time."
Schumacher's Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello was third fastest with a time of 1:12.197.
McClaren's Kimi Raikkonen of Finland secured his best-ever qualifying position at fourth followed by Schumacher's younger brother Ralf, who was fifth fastest for Williams. David Coulthard completed the third row for McLaren.
Neither of the two Arrows drivers -- Heinz-Harald Frentzen of Germany and Brazilian Enrique Bernoldi -- qualified after attempting just one fast lap each.
Jordan's Giancarlo Fisichella crashed out of the second free practice session and missed qualifying. The Italian was helped from his car and taken to the hospital in Nevers for full medical tests. Scan results showed no damage.
