Posted at 9:40 p.m., Friday, October 5, 2007
Autos: Hamilton captures pole for Chinese Grand Prix
By SALVATORE ZANCA
Associated Press Writer
Kimi Raikkonen, who led all three practice sessions before the qualifying was second with Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa third.
Hamilton had a time of 1 minute, 35.908 seconds on the 3.4-mile Shanghai Intenational circuit.
It was the fifth pole position this season for Hamilton and barely six tenths of a second separated the top fourth.
Raikkonen did 1:36.044 with Massa at 1:36.221.
Two-time defending champion Alonso was fourth at 1:36.576.
Sunday's race is 56 laps. If the order of the race is the same order of qualifying, Hamilton would win the world title.
Hamilton heads into this weekend's race with 107 points, a 12-point lead over Alonso. Hamilton will become the first rookie to clinch the title if he finishes ahead of Alonso in Shanghai, or maintains at least an 11-point margin with only the Brazilian Grand Prix to go.
However, thunderstorms are predicted over the weekend, with a typhoon forecast to hit Taiwan late Saturday. If it stays on its current path, the eye of the storm was expected to strike land about 2200 miles south of Shanghai late Sunday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain.
Qualifying had rain influencing the decisions as some cars carried set-up for rain while others had dry settings with differences in springs and brake cooling.
Ferrari and McLaren have won all the 15 races so far with Alonso, Hamilton and Raikkonen each notching four victories.
Ferrari has won two of the previous three races here and the red cars could be the downfall of Alonso.
If Raikkonen and Massa were to finish first and second for Ferrari — and if Alonso and Hamilton follow third and fourth — there would be still be an unassailable 11-point gap Hamilton and Alonso after the race.
Raikkonen, with a slight chance to win the title, is third in the standings with 90 points while Massa has 80.
Late Friday Hamilton was cleared by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) after a hearing and review of an incident in the Japanese Grand Prix.
Hamilton was accused of accelerating and decelerating behind the safety car during a caution period on the 46th lap, spraying water from a wet track and causing Red Bull's Mark Webber and Toro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel to collide.
Vettel was originally given a 10-place starting grid penalty for this race for running into the back of Webber's car, but that was reduced because the stewards felt that conditions were "exceptionally bad."
