Fernando Alonso roared into the record books as Michael Schumacher's perfect qualifying record in Malaysia was brought to an abrupt halt in Kuala Lumpur today.
The 21-year-old became the youngest driver in history - and the first Spaniard - to take pole position in a world championship grand prix.
Alonso took top spot in only his second race for Renault, with team-mate Jarno Trulli joining him on the front row of the grid for tomorrow's grand prix at Sepang.
Schumacher, who had started every race on pole since the inaugural grand prix in 1999, had to accept third spot for Ferrari.
"We're on the front row because the two guys drove the perfect lap," said Renault's technical director Mike Gascoyne. "If they hadn't we'd have been on row three.
"We've adopted the perfect strategy for this race. It's one that we can win but it is not going to be easy."
But the belief throughout much of the paddock was that Renault had utilised the new single-lap qualifying regulations to take their first pole as an entrant in their own right since the French Grand Prix in 1983.
Certainly Ferrari reckoned the Renaults were running a lighter fuel load and using the massive time gain - of around 0.4seconds for every 10 kilos of petrol - to get prime position for the race.
"The grid positions highlight the effect of the new rules as teams can now choose their qualifying fuel level and carry it through to the race," said Ferrari's technical director Ross Brawn, obviously expecting the Renault runners to stop early tomorrow.
"In the race we will find out how much fuel the front runners really have on board."
But the uncertainly took nothing away from the delight on Alonso's face as he beat Rubens Barrichello by six months to become the youngest ever pole winner after just 19 grands prix and five months shy of his 22nd birthday.
"I am dreaming. This is just fantastic," said Alonso, who had woken up with a fever this morning.
"I didn't think we'd be in pole position or on the first row, but at the end everything was better than we expected. I saw Michael's lap and when he crossed the line I thought 'I'm on pole position'. It's a very strange feeling."
The Oviedo-born driver, managed by Renault boss Flavio Briatore, has been tipped as a potential future world champion after impressing during his maiden season with Minardi in 2001.
Alonso was Renault's test driver last year before being promoted to the race seat for 2003 at the expense of Britain's Jenson Button.
"People have a go at Flavio because he is Fernando's manager. But he has a history of picking good, fast drivers - and Fernando is one of them," added Gascoyne.
"He is a talent."
Alonso finished 0.1secs quicker than Trulli with Schumacher another couple of 10ths further adrift - while championship leader David Coulthard was fourth for McLaren, out-qualifying team-mate Kimi Raikkonen (seventh) for the second time this season.
Button did his talking on the track as he posted the ninth-best time and finished comfortably ahead of 12th-placed BAR team-mate Jacques Villeneuve, with whom he has had a running feud all weekend.
British rookies Justin Wilson and Ralph Firman will start from the back of the grid in 19th and 20th places respectively for Minardi and Jordan, after both paid the penalty for reduced track time.
The biggest disappointment of all, though, must be Williams driver Ralf Schumacher who scored his last victory in Sepang last year but will line up a lowly 17th tomorrow - 0.8secs slower than eighth-placed team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya.
The Austria-based German, subject of allegations concerning his private life, has looked out of sorts for much of the weekend.
"It's clear that I have to get used to this new qualifying system," said Schumacher.
"I made a couple of mistakes in two corners where I lost some time. Anyway, I shouldn't be eight 10ths away from my team-mate."
1 Fernando Alonso (Spa) Renault, one minute 37.044 seconds
2 Jarno Trulli (Ita) Renault at 0.173
3 Michael Schumacher (Ger) Ferrari at 0.349
4 David Coulthard (GB) McLaren-Mercedes at 0.410
5 Rubens Barrichello (Bra) Ferrari at 0.535
6 Nick Heidfeld (Ger) Sauber at 0.722
7 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes at 0.814
8 Juan Pablo Montoya (Col) Williams-BMW at 0.930
9 Jenson Button (GB) BAR-Honda at 1.029
10 Olivier Panis (Fra) Toyota Racing at 1.050
11 Cristiano da Matta (Bra) Toyota Racing at 1.053
12 Jacques Villeneuve (Can) BAR-Honda at 1.245
13 Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Ger) Sauber at 1.247
14
Giancarlo Fisichella(Ita) Jordan-Ford at 1.372
15 Antonio Pizzonia (Bra) Jaguar Racing at 1.472
16 Mark Webber (Aus) Jaguar Racing at 1.580
17 Ralf Schumacher (Ger) Williams-BMW at 1.74518 Jos Verstappen (Hol) Minardi at 3.373
19 Justin Wilson (GB) Minardi at 3.555
20
Ralph Firman(GB) Jordan-Ford at 3.866.