Schumacher scorches to pole spot
 |  Schumacher is in pole position for the fifth time this year |
NUERBERGRING, Germany -- World champion Michael Schumacher admitted he was surprised to claim pole position for the European Grand Prix by more than half-a-second at Nuerbergring.
The Ferrari driver was 0.635 seconds clear of BAR-Honda's Takuma Sato in the qualifying session as he scorched around the circuit in style.
But German Schumacher expressed surprise that he had been so dominant in claiming his fifth pole of the season and the 60th of his career.
"I'm sort of surprised a little bit, especially if you have seen the lap times that were done this morning by Jenson (Button)," said Schumacher, who had been outpaced by the BAR driver in morning practice.
"I was expecting him to be much closer to this.
"Obviously, Takuma did a good lap, but I just did a perfect lap. It's not a great surprise, honestly, because I expected us to be very strong here, so we are.
"It's just that some competitors seem to have lost something compared to where they have been."
Schumacher's pole was a welcome return to top-spot after his five-race winning run at the start of the season came to an end in controversial fashion in Monaco six days ago.
The six-time world champion was nudged into the wall in Monaco's famous tunnel by Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya when running behind the safety car.
In the past
But he said the incident was in the past and added: "It is good to have just a couple of days available and be back in the racing business rather than testing.
"Just to get back into the rhythm, forget about what has happened before - can't change it anyway - and by Sunday night, after a couple of drinks with some of my driver mates, it was pretty easy going."
Schumacher had been barged aside by Sato at the start of the Monaco race after starting fourth on the grid, but he claimed his Ferrari will be quick off the line at the Nuerburgring.
"If you take away Monaco we have been, for most of the rest of the season and races, pretty good at the start so I believe being on the right side of the grid and so on, I should be able to do a good start," he added.
