Kovalainen gets first career pole at British Grand Prix

Jul 5, 2008, 15:08 GMT

Finnish Heikki Kovalainen of McLaren Mercedes sits in his car during the qualifying session at the Silverstone race track in Northamptonshire, Great Britain, 05 July 2008. British Grand Prix will take place on Sunday, 06 July 2008. Kovalainen clocked the fastest time today to take his career\'s first ever pole position. EPA/JENS BUETTNER

Silverstone, Britain - McLaren-Mercedes claimed the pole position on Saturday for the British Formula One Grand Prix, but it was Heikki Kovalainen and not local hero Lewis Hamilton who got first place on the grid.

The Finn Kovalainen clocked 1 minute 21.049 seconds on the 5,141- kilometres course for his first career pole.

Next to him in the front row on Sunday is Mark Webber of Australia, who had 1:21.554 in a Red Bull for the team's best result in qualifying.

World champion Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari was third in 1:21.705 while the local hero Hamilton had to settle for fourth in 1:21.835 minutes.

Championship leader Felipe Massa managed no better than ninth in the second Ferrari, and second-placed Robert Kubica in a BMW was even only 10th with no time in the final round of qualifying after technical problems.

As a result, Raikkonen and Hamilton have the chance to make up ground on Sunday's race over 60 laps, with Raikkonen upbeat 'if you look at where the the others are.'

Massa has 48 points from eight of 18 races, Kubica is on 46, Raikkonen on 43 and Hamilton on 38.

Hamilton had hoped for a top placing after failing to get points in the last two races but had a hard time and even had to be told on team radio 'don't overdrive' after riding out into the gravel.

Instead, it was the other McLaren of Kovalainen, who delighted in his first pole on familiar territory as he had lived in the Silverstone area for many years earlier in his motorsport career.

'Our target is to win the Grand Prix. May pace was very good all week,' said Kovalainen.

'It is great to make the first pole here. I have spent many years of my life here. I hope to carry on tomorrow where we left off today.'

Webber has also spent some years in the area and on the course which he named 'a happy hunting ground' after Saturday's result.

'This is a bit of a surprise, but credit to the team. There is still a long way to go but we did our job today,' the Australian said.

Raikkonen was happy to be the best of the title contenders but not fully satisfied as the Ferrari maybe not fast enough to give him victory like last year.

'We were not exactly where we wanted to be,' said Raikkonen, who used the joker available once per season to change the engine with a 10-place loss on the starting grid.