Barrichello pips Schumacher in Australian GP qualifying

Track temperature is 18C as the session opens, first man on track is Mark Webber for Minardi. Takuma Sato follows in the spare Jordan after his big crash this morning, but pulls over shortly after. Teammate Ginacarlo Fisichella sets a 1.32 and it starts to rain as Rubens Barrichello puts in a 1.27 for provisional pole for Ferrari.

Rubens Barrichello.

Photo by Ferrari Media Center.

Kimi Raikkonen in the McLaren sets second fastest, two seconds off Barrichello, while Jacques Villeneuve and David Coulthard bang heads -- red flag comes out and Coulthard has a spin, both drivers return to the pits.

Jarno Trulli and Juan-Pablo Montoya are first back out on track as the red flag is lifted, Jarno Trulli sets second for Renault, immediately displaced by team mate Jenson Button, followed by Montoya for Williams. Lots of cars on track as the drivers try and get some laps in before it starts raining heavily.

Coulthard sets provisional pole for McLaren then is pipped by Ralf Schumacher seconds later, the German being beaten shortly after by brother Michael on a 1.25.848; then Ferrari team mate Barrichello flies into pole, 0.005 faster.

The rain lets up for a moment, Webber spins his Minardi while Mika Salo comes out for Toyota. Teammate Allan McNish takes to the grass at turn three and suddenly a downpour leaves the track silent for a while. Montoya ventures out but the rain is coming down hard.

Classification finds Sato for Jordan outside the 107%, but Jordan say they will appeal for him to race. [Update: FIA Stewards will allow Sato to race].

Some teams start to change their set-up as it rains even harder, Coulthard and Webber take the track in a great deal of spray -- Sato and Raikkonen also on track, but the chances of the Jordan setting a time are unlikely as Sato gets called in for scrutineering. Michael Schumacher comes out but session is now over.

Final standings: Barrichello, Michael Schumacher, Ralf Schumacher, Coulthard, Raikkonen, Montoya.