By Bill Bernett - fromthetrack.com

 March 6.  For those of us who couldn't be at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, Speed TV delivered their own version of Saturday night live. There was Australia's March 6^th  F1 race on our 5^th.  For those who may have been expecting the 2005 F 1 season to start with Michael Schumacher on the pole and Michael Schumacher winning the race it was a show of refreshing surprises.  He wasn't, and he didn't.

 The new F1 two round qualifying procedure, each with different fuel loads, and one round on Saturday and the other on  Sunday (race day), leading to an aggregate qualifying time, coupled with rain in the midst of the Saturday round, resulted in what looked like a starting grid pulled out of a hat. 

 There was Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella on the pole, and beside him, Toyota's Jarno Trulli.  Then in the 2^nd row was Mark Webber of Williams, and next to him, Sauber's former World Champion, and Indy 500 winner, Jacque Villeneuve.  And for more of a surprise the 3^rd row was claimed by the two Red Bull Racing drivers, David Coulthard and Christian Klien.