Hamilton wins pole position Canadian GP

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-8  |     ONLINE EDITION

LEWIS Hamilton took the pole again at the Canadian Grand Prix - barely.

Seconds after the checkered flag waved to signify the end of the third and final round of qualifying yesterday at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica appeared to grab his first Formula One pole, knocking Hamilton's Mercedes McLaren from the top with a lap of 1 minute, 18.498 seconds.

But Hamilton, who earned his first Formula One pole and victory here a year ago, was still out on the 12-turn course, throwing his car through the corners and sliding dangerously several times. The result was a lap of 1:17.886 that gave the 23-year-old Englishman his second pole of the season and the eighth top qualifying spot of his career.

Kubica will start from the outside of the front row in today's race.

"At the end I had two laps," Hamilton said. "The first one was pretty shocking. I went wide in turn one. I had to make sure on the second one.

"I had to stick it out and make sure I got a good lap. I think I found six or seven tenths (of a second) there, so I'm pretty happy with it."

Hamilton said his helmet visor had raindrops on it at least twice in the final lap.

"There were a few big drops," he said. "I was just hoping I was going to get my last lap. I think we just missed it. I just kept going."

World champion Kimi Raikkonen, who trails Hamilton by three points in the drivers' standings, put his Ferrari in the third spot on the grid with a lap of 1:18.735. He was followed by two-time world champion Fernando Alonso's Renault at 1:18.746, the Williams of Nico Rosberg at 1:18.844 and the Ferrari of Felipe Massa at 1:19.048.