Hill primed and ready for #25

by Nicolas Frankl
TACH European Bureau

Damon Hill will start from pole position in tomorrows Portuguese GP. Hill the points leader (81) only needs to finish ahead of team-mate and arch rival Villeneuve (68) to clinch the title his father Graham won 3 times in '61,'62 and '68 to become the twenty fifth drivers World Champion.

"I'm very happy to have got pole again", commented a relaxed and relieved Hill after Qualifying. " This is my ninth (pole) of the season and we should be able to capitalise on this as I have the clean side of the track and the line into the first corner. Clearly tyre wear and race strategy will play a key role in the outcome tomorrow, but I'm confident that I can win".

Hill eclipsed his Canadian rival by only 9/1000th of a second, with the Indy Champ unable to get any closer due to overcast and drizzly conditions at the end of the session.

"We only found the correct set-up right at the end of the session and I thought that I had Damon but it wasn't enough and now I will concentrate on the race set-up and pit stop strategy." said Villeneuve, who earlier on in the day had made it clear that he would not be out psyche by Hill, or intimidated by him and the possibility of Hill taking him off.

The "other" Championship points battle between Schumacher and Alesi should also provide us with some good racing. The two are separated by a single point in the Champs favour and the pair will once again be lining up on the second row of the grid, Alesi settled in 3rd spot, Schumacher struggling with the handling of his Ferrari in 4th.

At least one Brit was smiling, Johnny Herbert announced that Sauber have resigned him for a further 2 year deal, which also rules him out of the equation regarding Stewart GP. Whether Hill will be smiling on Sunday, or for that matter Monday is another story. An announcement by the Hill camp is scheduled for then and the feeling seems to be that the 35 year old father of three will either opt for Jordan and the chance of the odd podium finish, Stewart if he wants a long term back-of-the-grid challenge or retirement to Ireland where he could "spend more time with his family" and enjoy his new home.

Curva 1, a fast right-hander taken in fifth, could well hold all the answers, because it is there that the pack will descend at 2 pm precisely and unless Jacques, the cheeky chap, can erect some make shift tyres (remember Monza?) my money's on the last of the nice guys, the gentlemen racer.