MONTREAL, 13 June 2005 — Jenson Button watched and waited, certain that he would be bumped off the pole for the Canadian Grand Prix. When the final car failed to knock him out of the top position, he celebrated as if he had just won the race. ``This is only qualifying, and I know that,’’ Button said. ``But we’ve had a tough few months, a tough year, and this means a lot to be closer to the front again.’’
Button, in a BAR-Honda, had a time of 1 minute, 15.217 seconds around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve to earn his first pole of the season. The only previous pole of Button’s career came last year in the San Marino Grand Prix. This was the strongest showing yet for Button, who was part of a two-race BAR-Honda suspension after it was determined that Button’s car ran underweight in the San Marino Grand Prix. Button finished third in that race, but was stripped of his position afterward.
He returned to racing in the European Grand Prix last month, qualifying 13th and finishing 10th. Teammate Takuma Sato also struggled in his return, finishing 12th.
But Sato was also strong this time out, qualifying sixth and giving BAR-Honda hope that the team is rebounding from its embarrassing scandal faster than anyone expected.
``I can only say it has been a difficult season for us,’’ Button said. ``We don’t have a chance of winning the championship. Our aim is to go out and fight for wins, but I wasn’t expecting to come here and fight for wins at all.’’
He’ll probably struggle to score a win Sunday. Lurking all around him on the starting grid are Michael Schumacher, a seven-time winner of this race, and world championship points leader Fernando Alonso.
Schumacher, who has won this race the past three seasons, qualified second in a Ferrari with a lap at 1:15.475. It equaled the highest starting spot this season for the seven-time world champion, who is still seeking his first victory of the year.
