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 20 July 2008 11:23 BST

Raikkonen pips Alonso to Spanish pole position

Saturday, 26 Apr 2008 15:45
Raikkonen in pole for Spanish Grand Prix
Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen will start Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix in pole position after recording a qualifying time of one minute, 21.813 seconds in Barcelona.

The Finn raced to his first pole of the 2008 season, beating stiff competition from Fernando Alonso, who was keen to perform in front of his home crowd.

Alonso looked to have recorded the day's fastest time and took a provisional pole, only to be beaten by the reigning champion Raikonnen by just 0.091 seconds.

As such, the Spaniard will start second on the grid, in front of third-placed Felipe Massa and Robert Kubica in fourth, while Britain's Lewis Hamilton will have it all to do after he could only manage the fifth-fastest lap of the Circuit de Catalunya.

Despite his last-minute disappointment, Alonso has expressed his satisfaction with his own performance, and that of his Renault team in general.

"I cannot be happier," he told reporters after the qualification session.

"This second place is more than what we could have expected for the whole weekend, so the job is nearly done.

"The team have made a first step in Barcelona and now we have aggressive plans to raise our level, and I'm optimistic."

Jenson Button meanwhile managed to post the 13th fastest time in his Honda and fellow Brit David Coulthard once again failed to make it past the first round of qualifying and will start in 17th place on the grid.
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