Lewis Hamilton on edge as Massa takes pole

LEWIS HAMILTON will start from the second row of the grid in the Brazilian Grand Prix at 5pm GMT today as he bids to become the youngest Formula One world champion. Ahead of him will be the Ferrari of Felipe Massa, the local boy who could snatch the title from the British driver.

The 23-year-old, though, need only finish in the top five to be sure of the title while the Brazilian has to finish first or second.

Alongside Hamilton on the second row will be Kimi Raikkonen, Massa’s Ferrari teammate, who came from seven points back last year to beat the Briton to the world championship in a thrilling finale. Just behind Hamilton will be Fernando Alonso, the Spaniard who has vowed to stop his former team, McLaren, from winning the title.

“It will be tough but I’m comfortable with the fuel strategy we’ve chosen,” Hamilton said. “We’re in a good position to finish in the same place we are today and that’s got to be our aim. We don’t need to do anything spectacular.”

All through the qualifying session, Hamilton seemed to have the measure of his rivals but an aborted flying lap and conservative fuel strategy for the race dropped him almost half a second behind Massa’s Ferrari at the finish.

“I grew up in this area on the other side of the wall here,” said an emotional Massa. “Everyone saw me growing and now they are supporting me. But it would be stupid of me to think about winning the title. I just have to drive my race and hope.”

The fear for Hamilton, who leads by seven points going into the final round here, is that now he will be caught up in a melee at the notoriously dangerous first corner and lose his chance of winning.

Last year, with a four-point lead over Alonso, he spun on the first lap trying to overtake the Spaniard before an electrical problem cost him the title. This time, he has travelled to Interlagos determined to claim his destiny and become the first British world champion since Damon Hill in 1996.

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