McLaren Mercedes driver Kimi Raikkonen of Finland waves to the crowd after the qualifying session of the German Grand Prix in Hockenheim yesterday. Raikkonen seized McLaren's first pole position of the Formula One season. - Reuters
HOCKENHEIM, Germany (Reuters):
KIMI RAIKKONEN seized McLaren's first pole position of the Formula One season at the German Grand Prix yesterday.
Ferrari's seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher, gunning for his third pole in a row in what some fans fear could be his last appearance on home soil, had to settle for second place on the starting grid.
Renault's world champion Fernando Alonso, winner at Hockenheim last year and 17 points clear of Schumacher in the championship with seven races remaining, qualified a distant seventh.
Almost collided
The Spaniard, celebrating his 25th birthday, almost collided with his 37-year-old German rival in the pit lane in the heat of the battle.
Raikkonen's pole was McLaren's first since Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya, now absent after deciding to switch to the U.S.-based NASCAR series, in Belgium in September last year.
"It was nice to get pole. We had some difficulties but it's the best place to start and let's see what happens tomorrow," said the Finn, who has not won a race since the thriller in Japan last October.
"The tyres have been very good all weekend," he added. "We found something new for the car at the last test which seems to help. The car is better now."
It was the ninth pole of his career, and second in a row at Hockenheim, and Raikkonen will be hoping to translate his advantage into a long-awaited victory in engine partners Mercedes' backyard.
Failed to finish
In his five starts at the southern circuit, Raikkonen has failed to finish despite leading in both the last two appearances there.
Brazilian Felipe Massa qualified third for Ferrari with Briton Jenson Button, out of the points for the past five races, alongside for Honda and Renault's Italian Giancarlo Fisichella behind in fifth.
"We are quite happy to have a strong opponent with us and having Alonso where he is right now," said Schumacher, who was 0.135 seconds slower but remains well placed to chase a hat-trick of wins today.
"That's obviously a good starting point.
"I exited the pit lane and once I was out I saw that Fernando was pretty close to me," Schumacher said of the incident. "I wasn't aware that he was there, because there were so many people, so much mess and it was so tight.
"If he felt there was some problem for him, then I'm sorry for that. But that's the way it goes sometimes."
