Schumacher had earlier looked dominant, in particular when setting the fastest time of the second session at the Interlagos circuit of one minute 10.313 seconds, just more than 0.3secs faster than the record pole time set by Rubens Barrichello in 2004.

But on his initial outlap in the final 20-minute session, the 37-year-old’s Ferrari started to tour around the 4.3km circuit before eventually labouring back into the garage.

Despite the Ferrari mechanics working furiously on the car, they were unable to return the seven-times world champion to the track.

That must surely signal the end of Schumacher’s hopes of heading into retirement with an eighth world title to his name.

After an engine failure in the last race in Japan robbed him of victory, Schumacher has long insisted the drivers’ title was not on his agenda, with his goal to help Ferrari win the constructors’ championship.

With Ferrari trailing Renault by nine points, that is now in doubt to Schumacher’s grave disappointment, but he said: “I can only try to fight, I will fight and then we will see what happens.

“I have no clue as to how the race will develop. It’s hard for me to predict something. All I can do is achieve the maximum out of this situation.”

This was not what Schumacher had planned, though, as he revealed: “After the technical failure in Suzuka and the one here, I’m not happy about this.

“But it’s a prototype car and you can never rule out these things. Every so often something has to happen. It’s just a shame it has happened to me twice in a row.

“There is still a long race, and I don’t know what will happen. It is hard to say.”

Schumacher reiterated: “I have said before that I’ve not been thinking about the drivers’ title.

“I’ve been looking to fight for the constructors’ championship, to get as many points as I can for that.

“Maybe it’s still not over. We just have to continue to fight and then see what happens.”

When asked whether he could still win, he jokingly replied: “If I can pass all of them then I can win – it’s an easy calculation!”

Unsurprisingly, reigning world champion Fernando Alonso is still refusing to dismiss Schumacher, particularly with the Ferrari the quickest car at present.

Alonso, who requires one point to be crowned champion again and become only the eighth driver in Formula One history to achieve the back-to-back feat, will start from fourth.

“The target was to be in the top five, so I am very happy,” said the 25-year-old Renault driver.

“Starting from the second row is perfect for our approach this weekend, and so far everything is going to plan.

“Obviously, the problem Michael had has helped us, not just me, but the team as well in the constructors’ championship. We will take anything we can get.

“So things are looking better for us, but we cannot write Michael off and it doesn’t change my approach.

“Tomorrow my aim will be to get a good start and fight at the front. We know the car has the pace to do it.”

Schumacher’s Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa will start on pole for the third time in his last five races, with the McLaren of Kimi Raikkonen joining him on the front row.

Jarno Trulli qualified third for Toyota for his highest placing of the year, and then behind Alonso came Rubens Barrichello in his Honda, the second Renault of Giancarlo Fisichella and the second Toyota of Ralf Schumacher.