Story highlights
- Lewis Hamilton fastest in qualifying for Canadian Grand Prix
- Hamilton set to start on pole in Canada for fifth time
- Championship leader Nico Rosberg starts second
- Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel in third
(CNN)Lewis Hamilton claimed the 53rd pole position of his career after finishing fastest in qualifying for Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix.
The defending champion, who won his first race of the season in Monaco last month, clocked a fastest lap of one minute 12.182 seconds to sneak home ahead of his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg.
Rosberg, who leads the title race by 24 points after six races, finished just ahead of four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel.
"It actually wasn't a great lap," Hamilton told a news conference. "I didn't have the same pace I had yesterday, but it was obviously enough.
"Ferrari have picked up the pace with the upgrades they have brought. It will be exciting to have a race with them."
Rosberg has yet to win in Canada during his career -- finishing runner-up for the past two years -- but he remains confident of success this time around.
"Everything is still possible," he said.
"The weather is all over the place and from second place on the grid everything is possible. I will still try and go for the win."
Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo, who won in Canada two years ago, starts in fourth with his Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen in fifth.
Romain Grosjean's recipe for success 03:22
