Kimi Raikkonen took pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix today as world championship rivals Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher were dumped into the midfield.
Time penalties for the two title challengers overshadowed the McLaren driver's achievement, which came courtesy of a one minute 19.599 second lap.
The focus at the start of tomorrow's race is for once likely to be on the middle of the grid, where Schumacher and Alonso find themselves.
Alonso was given a two-second penalty for each of his flying laps as punishment for his practice shenanigans yesterday.
The Renault driver veered in front of Red Bull tester Robert Doornbos before braking sharply in what stewards called a 'unnecessary, unacceptable and dangerous' move.
He was also punished for overtaking under a yellow flag but almost before those penalties could sink in this morning, Schumacher found himself hauled before the stewards.
He was also docked two seconds for overtaking two cars under red flags.
That leaves Schumacher starting 11th, four places ahead of Alonso, whom he trails by 11 points in the championship.
Schumacher benefited from Jenson Button's practice misery. The Englishman was docked 10 places for an engine change after his Honda burst into flames this morning and he starts 14th.
Raikkonen's last-gasp lap cruelly denied Felipe Massa his maiden pole position by 0.267secs but the Ferrari driver nevertheless lines up second.
Rubens Barrichello gave Honda hope of a podium return with a late lap to take third in an exciting climax to the session while the other McLaren of Pedro de la Rosa starts fourth.
Williams' Mark Webber briefly held second before cascading down the order to fifth on the grid, with Ralf Schumacher's Toyota starting alongside in sixth.
Elsewhere, Robert Kubica staked his claim to a race drive for the remainder of the season with a fine performance.
The Pole is standing in for the injured Jacques Villeneuve but could keep that seat even when his colleague returns to fitness.
He did his bit to persuade BMW-Sauber by out-qualifying team-mate Nick Heidfeld on his way to ninth place on the grid.
Scotsman David Coulthard will have his work cut out if he is to score points from 12th in his Red Bull.
