F1 championship leader Lewis Hamilton will start Sunday's Japanese Grand Prixon pole position with title rival and McLaren team mate Fernando Alonso alongside on the front row.

The 22-year-old British rookie punched the air in jubilation as he crossed the line in the final seconds of the session to push the Spaniard off the top slot with a lap of 1:25.368 seconds.

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen qualified third with Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa fourth.

Hamilton leads double world champion Alonso by two points in the championship with three races remaining.

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