Saturday June 3rd, 2000

Defending world champion Mika Hakkinen made a last gasp recovery on Saturday to jump from 17th to fifth place on the grid for the Monaco Grand Prix.

Hakkinen scored his fastest lap just minutes before the end of the session. The best of his earlier laps was two seconds off the pace, offering the twice world champion the prospect of fighting his way up from the back of the grid on Monaco's narrow and twisting street track.

"Yes, I'm a bit relieved," a sweating Hakkinen said after Saturday's qualifying session in which arch-rival Michael Schumacher took pole position, with Jarno Trulli of Jordan in second and Hakkinen's team mate David Coulthard in third.

Hakkinen who won in Monaco in 1998 said he had been slowed down by accidents and stoppages in front of him.

"When I think about the situation it could be much worse because it was just the last run I was able to get a proper lap done and even that was a struggle because there was something on the last corner," Hakkinen said.

"So it was very, very difficult. Nevertheless the performance we had with the car today wasn't good enough for pole position today. There were too many problems in the mid section and we were losing times so I'm very happy to finish in fifth," he said.

"You always have a chance to do something in Monaco, even from fifth."

McLaren chief Ron Dennis admitted nerves had been frayed in the pit.

"There wase no problem with the car. The only problems were other people's accidents slowing our laps," Dennis said. "Three times we had three accidents in front of us."

"We're all feeling a bit of pressure but that's the sport. He just had to be carfeul on this last run," Dennis added.

McLaren technical director Adrian Newey said he was pleased to have two in the top five and was philosophical about Hakkinen's position.

"He just had bad luck," Newey said. "It's not a very good grid position but there you go."