F1 Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix
Final
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Hamilton on pole for Japanese Grand Prix
Oct 11, 2008 - 7:27 AM Lewis Hamilton ensured he has the best chance possible of extending his world championship points lead after securing the pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix during qualifying on Saturday.The McLaren driver shot to the top of the timesheet in the late stages with a time of one minute, 18.404 seconds on the Fuji Speedway circuit.
"I'm very happy, the team has done a phenomenal job," Hamilton said. "We will push forward with the strategy we have tomorrow."
Kimi Raikkonen finished second with a time of 1:18.644, while Hamilton's teammate Heikki Kovalainen was third-fastest and Singapore Grand Prix winner Fernando Alonso fourth for Renault.
There was disaster for Felipe Massa, who enters the race seven points behind Hamilton, as the Ferrari driver will start fifth on the grid.
Massa, who had started from the pole in Singapore before a pit-stop blunder ended his chances of winning the race, could only manage a time of 1:18.874 and faces an uphill challenge to deny Hamilton a chance to move closer to the world championship title.
BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica, who had gone fastest in early practice, will start sixth while Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock gave Toyota a boost in its home race by claiming seventh and eighth, respectively.
Toro Rosso pair Sebastien Vettel and Sebastien Bourdais round out the top 10.
