Berger Sits on Phoenix Provisional Pole

PHOENIX —  Brazil’s Ayrton Senna has won the last six poles in Formula One racing, but after Friday’s first round of qualifying for the Iceberg USA Grand Prix on Sunday, Senna’s McLaren-Honda teammate, Gerhard Berger of Austria, was on the provisional pole.

Berger, making his first start for the McLaren team after switching from Ferrari, bettered Senna’s year-old record for the 2.36-mile downtown street circuit with a lap at 95.822 m.p.h. Senna won the pole for last year’s inaugural race at 94.287.

The increase in speed was attributed to cooler March weather. Last year’s race was run in 100-plus degrees in June.

Senna stood fifth after a 95.055 lap, behind three Ford-powered cars driven by Pierluigi Martini of Italy, 95.755; Andrea de Cesaris of Italy, 95.467, and Jean Alesi of France, 95.078.

Race officials announced that Sunday’s race had been shortened from 75 to 72 laps.