Leading British GP qualifying times:

1 Michael Schumacher (Ger) Ferrari one minute 20.447 seconds
2 Mike Hakkinen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes 1:20.529
3 David Coulthard (GB) McLaren-Mercedes 1:20.927
4 Jarno Trulli (Ita) Jordan-Honda 1:20.930
5 Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Ger) Jordan-Honda 1:21.217
6 Rubens Barichello (Bra) Ferrari 1:21.715
7 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Sauber-Petronas 1:22.023
8 Juan Pablo Montoya (Col) Williams-BMW 1:22.219
9 Nick Heidfeld (Ger) Sauber-Petronas 1:22.223
10 Ralf Schumacher (Ger) Williams-BMW 1:22.283

1400 The McLarens do not enjoy a good last lap, getting snagged in traffic. Neither Coulthard or Hakkinen can make an impression on Michael Schumacher whose 1:20.447 gives him an eighth pole start of the season.

Hakkinen joins him on the front row of the grid, 0.082 seconds behind with Coulthard on the second row, after posting a time half a second slower than Schumacher. Jarno Trulli guides the Jordan-Honda into fourth.

1358 With less than three minutes left, a qualifying session which started slowly explodes with 19 of the 22 cars setting out to for a final blast for a best time.

There's plenty of heavy traffic on the Silverstone circuit.

1356 Raikkonen completes his session in sixth spot. Eddie Irvine clips a kerb and has to take to the spare Jaguar-Cosworth.

1354 Coulthard responds, and dislodges Schumacher from second place and momentarily, McLaren-Mercedes have the front two places on the grid.

But out comes Schumacher and drives a superb lap to regain pole position with six minutes left.

1350 Hakkinen is flying, and goes two-tenths of a second under his fastest time.

1346 Michael Schumacher re-sets the mark, but the McLaren-Mercedes are running well as Hakkinen pilots his car round in a new best of 1:20.897, a tenth of a second under the German.

1342 Drama in the Williams-BMW garage as Juan-Pablo Montoya has to leap into the spare car after problems with the front mounting.

Out on the track Coulthard sets the fastest lap, dipping 0.339 seconds under Schumacher's time

1340 The Jordan-Hondas of Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Jarno Trulli are yet to show, leaving it late with 20 minutes of qualifying left.

1336 Michael Schumacher returns to the pits, having set a time almost four seconds faster than last year's pole position.

The McLaren-Mercedes of Hakkinen and Coulthard lying second and third, prepare to go out for a second run.

1330 A flurry of activity as drivers set out on their first portion of their 12 allotted laps. Mika Hakkinen's first flying lap is 1.6 seconds faster than Raikkonen to set the early marker.

But Michael Schumacher rises to the early challenge. Despite a twitch on a damp patch, his first lap of 1:21.458 is 0.75 seconds faster than the Finn.

1328 Jensen Button (Benetton-Renault) and Eddie Irvine (Jaguar-Cosworth) follow Raikkonen out.

1324 Finn Kimi Raikkonen in the Sauber-Petronas is the first driver out. His first flying lap of one minute 25.071seconds sets the mark.

1321 Mika Hakkinen is kitted up in the cockpit of his McLaren-Mercedes, but Michael Schumacher appears in no hurry as he slips his fireproof balaclava on.

1313 David Coulthard, looking for a third successive British GP win to keep in touch with championship leader Michael Schumacher, eases into the cockpit of the McLaren-Mercedes.

Teams are anxious to let the track warm as much as possible to improve grip but are keeping careful watch on the clouds.

1306 Little activity in the pits as drivers jostle for position cagily, keen to leave it as late as possible before going out. Jensen Button in the Benetton-Renault is first driver to climb into the cockpit.

1300 Qualifying hour begins in bright sunshine, drying out the track from the morning's torrential rain. The Silverstone circuit has only a few damp patches.