updated 4:44 p.m. ET July 30, 2005

BUDAPEST, Hungary - Seven-time champion Michael Schumacher earned his first pole position of the season Saturday, clocking the fastest lap during qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

“We feel very delighted after a suffering period when things did not work in our favor,” Schumacher said. “I am pretty confident. There was no reason to not believe in Ferrari’s return.”

It was his 64th career pole position, but his first in 14 races. His previous pole came at last October’s Japanese Grand Prix.

Ferrari’s last pole was the final race of 2004, the Brazilian GP when Rubens Barrichello led. Schumacher had the pole in the race before that and then was shut out in the first 12 races this season.

It is the first time since 1998 that Schumacher had gone so long without a pole position. His next one will tie him with Ayrton Senna for the Formula One all-time mark

“It is one step in the right direction. Then we will see where we go from there,” the German said.

Schumacher has struggled all season after winning 12 of his first 13 races last year. He has just one win, at the tainted U.S. Grand Prix after seven teams pulled out because of safety concerns over Michelin tires.

On a hot day in the Hungarian hills, with track temperatures approaching 122 degrees, the Ferrari driver clocked 1 minute, 19.882 seconds on the twisting 2.722-mile Hungaroring circuit.

McLaren’s Juan Pablo Montoya, who has taken first and second in the last two races, was next with 1:20.779 ahead of Toyota driver Jarno Trulli, third with 1:20.839.

“To be on pole is one thing,” Schumacher said. “To do it with such a time margin to the others is another thing.

“But, on the other side, it is just qualifying, the race is still to be done,” he added.

Schumacher will be seeking his fifth victory at the Hungaroring. He won in 1994 for Benetton, the first year he won the driving title. He repeated in 1998, 2001 and 2004 for Ferrari.

Montoya looks ready to pounce on any mistake by Schumacher at the start.

“I am not worried about being on the dirtier side of the track as we have shown that our starts are really good this year,” Montoya said. “From where we are, I think we have a good chance to win.”

At the British GP three weeks ago, he started second and jumped to first on the opening curve, going on to beat points leader Fernando Alonso.

Two years ago, Alonso became the youngest driver to win a Formula One race when he claimed victory in the Hungarian, GP. Another win would move him closer to becoming the youngest driver to take an F1 season title.

Alonso clocked 1:21.141 for sixth on the starting grid in Sunday’s race of 70 laps.

Alonso, who turned 24 Friday, leads Kimi Raikkonen in the championship with 87 points to 51. Schumacher is third on 47 points.

Raikkonen’s best was 1:20.891, good for fourth.

The Finn last won in Canada on June 12. Since then, he sat out the U.S. Grand Prix, was twice penalized 10 spots on the starting grid for engine changes and dropped out of the German GP while leading.

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He also led the San Marino GP and European GP before his car broke down.

Ralf Schumacher was fifth, giving Toyota two spots in the top five ahead of Alonso.

Barrichello was seventh for Ferrari in 1:21.188. Like Michael Schumacher, he is looking to improve on his showing at the German GP last week, when both Ferraris struggled with tires. Their Bridgestone supplier brought a new compound for its tires for the Hungarian race.

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