Hamilton to start second in Brazil

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- World championship leader Lewis Hamilton has qualified in second position for Sunday's season finale at the Brazilian Grand Prix, while nearest rival Fernando Alonso was fourth.

The British rookie, who leads McLaren team-mate Alonso by four points going into the final race, is on the front row of the grid behind home hope Felipe Massa of Ferrari.

The Brazilian set a fastest time of one minute and 11.931 seconds, while Hamilton clocked 1:12.082 in warm and sunny conditions at the Interlagos circuit.

Massa's team-mate Kimi Raikkonen -- who trails Hamilton by seven points -- qualified in third place in 1:12.322 and two-time defending world champion Alonso posted 1:12.594.

The 22-year-old Hamilton will become the first Formula One rookie, and the youngest driver, to claim the world championship if he wins the race or finishes second.

Red Bull's Mark Webber claimed fifth place on the grid ahead of Germany's Nick Heidfeld, who has BMW-Sauber team-mate Robert Kubica a place behind him.

Toyota's Jarno Trulli qualified eighth ahead of Webber's team-mate David Coulthard and 10th-placed Nico Rosberg in a Williams.

Hamilton said: "It was very close. I really enjoyed the qualifying session. The car was good to drive, and I produced a good lap - losing a little bit of time in the last corner.

"But apart from that, I'm very happy. It's a good place to start. I'm just buzzing. I'm really excited. I feel very relaxed, the car is great and I love the circuit. There are quite a lot of British flags out there, so I'm glad I have a lot of support."

Hamilton rejected suggestions that he had purposely impeded Raikkonen while coming out of the pit lane.

"Because Fernando was behind me I knew I couldn't hold him up, but I was told I would be coming out close to Kimi," he said.

"So I came out, and when you're at that sort of speed your mirrors are vibrating and you can't see too much. I realized he was close, so I slowed. I can't attack the corner like he did, so I backed off and he went past me."

Raikkonen added: "I ran wide and I went sideways one time. It cost us lap time, but we are still in third place.

"It could have happened in a slightly more easier way to let me past, but it is what it is now, so it doesn't change anything."

To take the title, Raikkonen needs to win or finish second and hope Hamilton places sixth or worse.

"The tires will be on the limit, so whoever uses them the best way will come out on top, and then we will see what happens," the Finn said.

Spaniard Alonso was in downbeat mood ahead of his bid to clinch a hat-trick of world titles.

"In not starting on pole I've thrown away a little bit of my only possibility to win the race," he said. "It is very difficult to overtake because everyone is so close together in lap times.

"Tomorrow we will have exactly the same strategy, stops, laps etc, so there is no chance to overtake with the strategy or be lucky or something like that.

"It's not that I'm pessimistic, but I am realistic. I need a race like China or something like that, a mechanical problem, or a very unlucky race for my opponents. If not, then it will be difficult."

McLaren boss Ron Dennis, whose team was fined after Hamilton used two sets of wet-weather tires in Friday's practice, added: "It would have been nice to take pole but our objective is to win the championship with one of our drivers.

"We're focused on that, now we're looking forward to a good clean fight for the title."

Defending champion Massa, who also started on pole last year, said: "It's a fantastic qualifying. It was a good lap - and to be here in front of my home people, there is real emotion.

"The atmosphere is always the same, it's amazing. Last year, I had a fantastic weekend - and this is a good start. If there is the same situation then it will be a dream." E-mail to a friend

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