MONTREAL - McLaren's Lewis Hamilton took the first pole position of his Formula One career at the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday (NZ time).
The Briton, in the sixth race of his debut season, claimed the pole ahead of team mate and double world champion Fernando Alonso.
"Ithas been a fantastic day, it is already a fantastic weekend," said Hamilton after Sunday's qualifying at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
"It is not easy when you have a two-time world champion hunting you down," added the 22-year old, who has finished on the podium in all five of his races and been runner-up in the last four.
Hamilton produced a best lap time of one minute 15.707 seconds in the third section of qualifying.
"I had an opportunity to go out and take pole and this time I took it," he said. "It took a while to learn, it is a very demanding course, physically, mentally and also technically."
Nick Heidfeld of BMW Sauber will start in third place on the grid followed by the Ferrari pair of Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa.
McLaren will now fancy their chances of repeating their one-two success in Monaco last month where Spaniard Alonso won before a dispute over team tactics.
Alonso was in a commanding position going into the final stages but Hamilton burst ahead on his final run, leaving the Spaniard to start second for the fourth time this season.
"The front row will be enough for today and there will be another chance in the race on Sunday," said Alonso, who said he had lost a little grip before going into the final chicane.
