Lewis Hamilton is carried away after the crash on Saturday. (AFP)

Nuerburgring: Formula One championship leader Lewis Hamilton escaped serious injury on Saturday after crashing at high speed in qualifying for the European Grand Prix, while Kimi Raikkonen took the pole position for Ferrari.

After spending about two hours under observation and undergoing a scan in a military hospital in nearby Koblenz, Hamilton returned to the circuit and his McLaren team’s motor home, hoping to race Sunday.

“It was a bit unfortunate, but I am feeling fine,” Hamilton said. “I’m very fortunate, very lucky that I haven’t got any bruises — although I’m sure tomorrow I’ll wake up with some. But the most important thing is I am okay.”

McLaren boss Ron Dennis said Hamilton hadn’t broken anything and wanted to race, but that it was up to the doctors to clear him. No decision will be made until a final check-up on Sunday before the 60-lap race.

Hamilton crashed into a tyre wall after skidding over the gravel trap next to the track when the right-front wheel of his car was damaged.

If Hamilton races on Sunday, he will start from 10th position on the grid.

Dennis said the crash was caused either by a faulty pressure regulator or by the right-hand wheel gun failing to work properly.

The qualifying session was stopped with five and a half minutes remaining and it took about 30 minutes for it to resume.

Raikkonendrove the fastest lap on the 5.1km Nuerburgring circuit in 1:31.450.

Fernando Alonsowas second in qualifying. Felipe Massa of Ferrari was third. Alonso clocked 1:31.741 and Massa 1:31.778.

Massa raced with a black stripe across his helmet in memory of the victims of the plane crash in his native Brazil.

Nick Heidfeld, whose girlfriend gave birth to their second child earlier in the day, was fourth and Robert Kubica fifth, both in BMW-Sauber cars. Mark Weber was sixth in his Red Bull. (AP)