By Andrew Benson BBC Sport Online motorsport editor at Silverstone

Michael Schumacher and Ferrari are strong favourites to win Sunday's British Grand Prix despite Juan Pablo Montoya's brilliant pole position on Saturday.

The Colombian leapfrogged the Ferraris with a sensational last-minute lap to secure his fourth consecutive pole position - but the Italian team are in the best shape for the race.

Schumacher and team-mate Rubens Barrichello set a sensational pace in the race-morning warm-up.

Barrichello was eventually fastest, setting a time of one minute 22.371 seconds to be 0.444 seconds quicker than his team-mate.

For the entire time, the two men were more than a second clear of their closest rival, which was Montoya.

Barrichello was fastest, 0.444 seconds ahead of Schumacher.

McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen was third, 1.8 seconds behind Barrichello. Jordan's Japanese rookie Takuma Sato also jumped ahead of Montoya, who finished fifth.

Significant advantage

Even though this session is rarely a good indication of race performance, in this case it may not be too far wrong as far as the leading runners go.

It is widely accepted that the Bridgestone tyres that are used by Ferrari are more consistently fast in a race than the Michelins used by Williams and McLaren.

If it rains, Bridgestone's advantage is even more significant.

Williams are certainly not expecting to challenge Ferrari for victory.

Asked what he expected from the race, Williams technical director Patrick Head told BBC Sport Online: "If you want the honest answer, two red cars out in front and us and McLaren behind - but you never know."

Ferrari's problem may be getting past Montoya in the first place. They will certainly be keen to do so - just as Montoya will want to keep them behind.

He knows his only realistic chance of victory - which would be his first of the year - is to keep the Ferraris back as long as possible.

Even then, what is expected to be their superior speed is likely to tell during the pit-stop period.