Spielberg, Austria ? Michael Schumacher edged Kimi Raikkonen to take the pole Saturday at the Austrian Grand Prix, setting up a front-row showdown between the top two drivers in the point standings.

The five-time Formula One champion was timed in 1 minute, 9.150 seconds on the 2.69-mile course. It is the third straight time Schumacher has the pole this season.

Raikkonen clocked 1:09.189.

Schumacher punched the air after he learned his time.

“I am very happy with this pole position,” he said. “Seeing how close the times were, this result is very satisfying.”

After a rough start this season, Schumacher is now second in the driver standings, four points behind Raikkonen. He can take over the lead with a victory and Raikkonen finishing third or lower.

After posting the fastest time in pre-qualifying Friday, Schumacher had a small mistake early Saturday but overcame it to finish first.

“It was a little wobble, a little rear locking which caused me to go wide,” Schumacher said. “I was still lucky because I was still able to catch it just at the apex again … and then I had a good lap from then on.”

Raikkonen finished on the podium in the first four races of the season, but he crashed at the start of the last race after starting in the back. Schumacher went on to win.

Raikkonen is happy to be back on the front row.

“The view from the front of the grid is definitely better than from the back,” he said.

Last year at this race, Schumacher trailed teammate Barrichello from the start until the final straightaway. Then Barrichello obeyed team orders and moved over to let Schumacher win and strengthen his hold on the season standings.

Schumacher hardly needed the points — he went on to win 11 of 17 races. But the governing body of Formula One racing, the FIA, imposed a $1 million fine on Ferrari for its improper conduct.

Juan Pablo Montoya took third in a Williams-BMW, Nick Heidfeld in a Sauber was fourth and Rubens Barrichello was fifth.

Rising F1 standout Fernando Alonso, third in the season standings, went off the track into the gravel and will start in the last row. He had the pole at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Jarno Trulli clocked 1:09.890 for sixth.

Ralf Schumacher started first after spinning off in Friday’s pre-qualifying.

He clocked 1:10.279 to finish 10th in his Williams-BMW.

“After I spun off during yesterday’s first qualifying, today I had to cope with the disadvantage of being first on the track,” he said. “Of course there is less grip at the start of the session.”

Jos Verstappen had troubles with his Minardi and failed to register a time, the third time in six races he has done that.