Germany's Ralf Schumacher handed Williams their first pole position of the Formula One season on Saturday as older brother Michael and Ferrari suffered a qualifying nightmare in Canada.

Ralf lapped in one minute 12.275 seconds to clinch pole for the second successive year at the Gilles Villeneuve circuit.

It was the fifth pole of his career and Williams' first since Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya at the German Grand Prix last August.

Ralf was joined on the front row by Briton Jenson Button in a BAR, 0.066 seconds slower than the German.

Ferrari's six-times world champion Michael Schumacher produced his worst qualifying performance of the season and starts Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix on the third row in sixth place.

Schumacher, winner of six of the season's seven races to date and hoping to become the first driver to win the same Grand Prix seven times, was 1.080 slower than Ralf.

Italian Jarno Trulli was third quickest and starts on the second row with Montoya.

Japan's Takuma Sato was quicker than BAR team mate Button through the first timed sector but blew his chances of a second front-row start in succession with a 360-degree spin at the final corner.

Sato was lucky not to hit the concrete wall but his error left him starting from 17th position.