Silverstone Qualification Formula 1, 2008

McLaren Mercedes driver and series sophomore Heikki Kovalainen on Saturday swept to pole position for the British Grand Prix, his first pole in Formula One, "by a mile," or "a half-second in real terms," as his team informed him via radio.

The Finn scorched his way to a 1 minute, 21.049-second lap around the 3.6-mile Silverstone Circuit, bumping first fellow countryman Kimi Raikkonen in Ferrari then Mark Webber for Red Bull. With a 1:21.554, Webber was told by his team he was P1 while Kovalainen hustled to the checkered flag then the Australian settled for claiming Red Bull's first front-row start in the team's fourth season. Raikkonen set a 1:21.706.

Kovalainen, like Webber, has achieved successive career milestones at the circuit that has been home to the British Grand Prix since 1987. Silverstone has been the focal point of the industry as a majority of teams are based near or have shops in the area.

"It's been going really well all weekend," Kovalainen said. "We managed to put some more pace to the car last week (during tire testing), and all week here it's been carrying on from that. And, um, obviously, I've been spending (time) around this Silverstone area for many, many years of my life, and I know a lot of families and friends around here so it's great to make first pole here and tomorrow we try to just carry on."

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pic 1: Sebastian Vettel Toro Rosso British Grand Prix, Silverstone Qualification
pic 2: Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber British Grand Prix, Silverstone Qualification

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pic 1: Lewis Hamilton McLaren Mercedes British Grand Prix Qualification
pic 2: Lewis Hamilton McLaren Mercedes British Grand Prix Qualification

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pic 1: Mark Webber Red Bull British Grand Prix, Silverstone Saturday Qualification
pic 2: Fernando Alonso Fernando Alonso Renault Silverstone Saturday Qualification

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pic 1: Robert Kubica BMW Sauber British Grand Prix, Silverstone Qualification
pic 2: Jarno Trulli Toyota British Grand Prix, Silverstone Saturday Qualification

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pic 1: Heikki Kovalainen McLaren Mercedes Silverstone Saturday Qualification
pic 2: Jenson Button Honda British Grand Prix, Silverstone Qualification

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pic 1: Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari British Grand Prix, Silverstone Saturday Qualification
pic 2: Filipe Massa Ferrari British Grand Prix, Silverstone Saturday Qualification

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pic 1: Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari British Grand Prix, Silverstone Qualification
pic 2: Filipe Massa Ferrari British Grand Prix, Silverstone Qualification

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pic 1: David Coulthard Red Bull Jarno Trulli Toyota Silverstone Qualification
pic 2: Giancarlo Fisichella Force India British Grand Prix, Silverstone Qualification