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Canadian GP Qualy: Hamilton Takes Pole

The Canadian GP qualifying session saw a few spins from the drivers with only 19 drivers taking part in the session after Sebastian Vettel damaged his Toro Rosso car too badly in the morning practice session.

It was an eventful qualifying session, and if the weather forecast is spot-on there could be rain in Canada on Sunday, there could be even more drama on the race itself. Lewis Hamilton revisits the place where he won his first F1 grand prix in style by dominating the qualifying session and taking the pole position. BMW's Robert Kubica looked set to spoil his party but a last-ditch grasp from Hamilton sealed the pole for the Brit.

Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen fared better than his teammate Felipe Massa and took the third spot, ahead of Fernando Alonso's Renault, which hasn't been impressive all weekend so it could mean the Spaniard is on light-fuel strategy. Nico Rosberg, who set the fastest times in Practice 3, took the 5th spot on the grid and will be alongside Felipe Massa, who is surprisingly off-form for a qualifying session.

Heikki Kovalainen is disappointingly in 7th place with Nick Heidfeld his partner in the 4th row. While Mark Webber brought the Red Bull to the final qualifying session, he did not take part in it after being overzealous in next lap and ended up in the barriers.

Both Toro Rossos will be at the last row since Sebastien Bourdais wrecked his car in the morning, but was lucky to have his car repaired for the qualifying session unlike his teammate Sebastian Vettel. However, the team was unable to repair the gear box and hence the Frenchman will incur a 5-grid penalty after qualifying 16th, which should have put him on the 20th spot, except Vettel will be starting from the pitlane and hence Bourdais will be on the 19th spot.

The starting grid for tomorrow will be as follows:

1. L. Hamilton McLaren 1:17.886
	2. R. Kubica BMW 1:18.498
3. K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:18.735
	4. F. Alonso Renault 1:18.746
5. N. Rosberg Williams 1:18.844
	6. F. Massa Ferrari 1:19.048
7. H. Kovalainen McLaren 1:19.089
	8. N. Heidfeld BMW 1:19.633
9. R. Barrichello Honda 1:20.848
	10. M. Webber Red Bull no time
11. T. Glock Toyota 1:18.031 *
	12. K. Nakajima Williams 1:18.062
13. D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:18.238
	14. J. Trulli Toyota 1:18.327
15. N. Piquet jr. Renault 1:18.393
	16. A. Sutil Force India F1 1:19.108**
17. G. Fisichella Force India F1 1:19.165
	18. J. Button Honda 1:23.565
19. S. Bourdais Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:18.916
	20. S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso no time^#

* Timing set during Qualifying 2 run
** Timing set during Qualifying 1 run
^#Sebastian Bourdais is penalised 5 grid positions for changing of his gear box, which was meant to be used for another 3 races under the new rules of 2008.
-- Starting grid if there are no further changes or penalties incurred by any of the drivers.

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Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved.

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