DRIVING ME MAD

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Jun 8, 2008 | by BYRON YOUNG

LEWIS HAMILTON slammed the Canadian Grand Prix as "dangerous" after grabbing pole position with a spectacular last-gasp lap.

He joined leading drivers in branding the circuit "a joke" despite his delight at taking front spot where he scored his maiden victory 12 months ago.

Speculation began that the Montreal track could be kicked out of the championship after the tarmac started to crumble in the first few minutes of qualifying and caused a series of accidents.

"It's poor," said Hamilton. "In all the years I have watched this race it has always had problems.

"They patch up the tarmac but it keeps coming up. And even when they patch it up it's still quite dangerous."

Turn Two and Turn 10 turned into potential death traps with the particles of shredded tarmac making the track doubly slippery and treacherous off-line.

Kimi Raikkonen ended up third and called for track repairers to be sacked.

And he was supported by Hamilton, returning to the scene of his maiden victory last year, and Robert Kubica, who starts alongside him on the front row.

"If they can't do a proper job then maybe they should get someone else in from outside," said the world champion.

"I agree," echoed Vodafone McLaren's race ace.

Behind the scenes ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone confirmed teams had approached him about the possibility of staging a breakaway series after the FIA failed to sack President Max Mosley in the wake of the sex scandal revelations.

"They are not happy at how Max's reputation affects the sport now," he said.

Hamilton had pole nicked from him in the final seconds by Kubica.

But with rain falling on his visor and the track breaking up the championship leader fired in one last, spectacular throw of the dice with the clock already ticking past zero.

GRID: 1. L Hamilton (GB) McLaren 1:17.88. 2. R Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber. 3. K Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari. 4. F Alonso (Spa) Renault. 5 N Rosberg (Ger) Williams 6. F Massa (Bra) Ferrari. 7. H Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren. 8. N Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber. 9. R Barrichello (Bra) Honda. 10. M Webber (Aus) Red Bull. Also: 13. D Coulthard (GB) Red Bull. 19. J Button (GB) Honda.