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Byline: NIGEL ROEBUCK
Fernando Alonso's mistake was small and came in qualifying rather than the race, but it cost the world champion dearly. Beforehand, Alonso-as smooth and unflurried as Alain Prost-held sway, able to beat any time thrown up by a rival.
Perhaps unsurprisingly by now, his rival was McLaren-Mercedes rookie teammate Lewis Hamilton.
As qualifying's last sands drained away, Hamilton went quickest. Alonso was then faster, until he got to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve's hairpin.
"I got a bit off-line, got on the marbles, lost grip and . . . well, that was three-tenths lost, so pole was gone. It's okay-I'm on the front row, and that's all that matters.''
So here was Hamilton, on a Formula One pole for the first time. Did Alonso have any advice for him? "Yes. Don't be too aggressive at the first corner-and let me go through!''
Hamilton failed to take note. Alonso tried to put a move on him into the first corner but braked too late and skated off the road, almost collecting his teammate as he rejoined. Not only was Hamilton in the lead, but Nick Heidfeld's BMW-Sauber also got by.
Source: HighBeam Research, HISTORY MADE; Lewis Hamilton breaks through in Canada.(Competitions...