This was the grid when Alonso last qualified on the front row…

It was an unexpected but brilliant performance in qualifying for the 40 year old Spaniard in his Alpine.

The last time the former two-time world champion qualified on the front row was a decade ago at the 2012 German Grand Prix.

This was the grid back then…

1. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)

2. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull-Renault)

3. Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault)

4. Michael Schumacher (Mercedes)

5. Nico Hulkenberg (Force India)

6. Pastor Maldonado (Williams-Renault)

7. Jenson Button (McLaren-Mercedes)

8. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes)

9. Paul di Resta (Force India)

10. Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus-Renault)

11. Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso-Ferrari)

12. Sergio Perez (Sauber-Ferrari)

13. Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber-Ferrari)

14. Felipe Massa (Ferrari)

15. Romain Grosjean (Lotus-Renault)

16. Bruno Senna (Williams-Renault)

17. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)

18. Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso-Ferrari)

19. Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham-Renault)

20. Vitaly Petrov (Caterham-Renault)

21. Charles Pic (Marussia-Cosworth)

22. Timo Glock (Marussia-Cosworth)

23. Pedro de la Rosa (HRT Cosworth)

24. Narain Karthikeyan (HRT Cosworth)

Alonso steered his Ferrari to his 30th Formula 1 win, after taking his 22nd pole.

It was Lewis Hamilton’s 100th F1 race.

Five drivers who started the 2012 German Prix will start the 2022 Canadian Grand Prix (Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo, Sergio Perez).

Ten years ago, Alonso had the legendary Michael Schumacher a few places below him on the grid. This year Mick Schumacher is in Alonso's shadow.