Massa on pole, Hamilton second

Sunday8217;s Brazilian GP will decide the tightest F1 race for the championship in 21 years. Hamilton has 107 points, four more than McLaren teammate Alonso and seven more than Raikkonen. A win is worth 10 points and second through eighth are 8-6-5-4-3-2-1.

Hamilton needs to finish in the top two to become the first rookie to win the drivers8217; championship and F18217;s youngest champion, surpassing Alonso8217;s feat in 2005. A title would also make Hamilton the first British F1 champion since Damon Hill in 1996.

It was warm and sunny for qualifying on Saturday, in conditions similar to those expected for Sunday8217;s race. All three title contenders easily made it through the first two elimination sessions but Massa came out strong in the final part of the time trials, with the Brazilian clinching the pole to the delight of the fans at Interlagos.

In Interlagos, front-row starters have won every race since 2004. Hamilton took the pole six times this season, the most among all drivers.

The 22-year-old Hamilton had the fastest practice time on Friday 1:12.767, and escaped a penalty for using two sets of wet tires during the morning session in breach of FIA regulations.

His McLaren team was fined euro15,000 US21,400 and prevented from using the extra set of wet tires on Hamilton8217;s car for the remainder of the weekend.

Alonso is the only driver using an older engine because of a crash at the Japanese GP three weeks ago. Drivers must use the same engine in two consecutive races, and Alonso had a new one in China and is using it again now.

Brazilian GP: Permutations for contenders

Lewis Hamilton McLaren: Finish first or second; Finish third, fourth or fifth and Alonso second or lower; Finish sixth or seventh and Alonso third or lower and Raikkonen second or lower; Finish eighth and Alonso fourth or lower and Raikkonen third or lower; Finish out of the points and Alonso fifth or lower and Raikkonen third or lower.

Fernando Alonso McLaren: Finish first and Hamilton third or lower; Finish second and Hamilton sixth or lower; Finish third and Hamilton eighth or lower and Raikkonen second or lower; Finish fourth and Hamilton out of the points and Raikkonen third or lower.

Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari: Finish first and Alonso third or lower and Hamilton sixth or lower; Finish second and Alonso fourth or lower and Hamilton eighth or lower.