Massa takes pole position in Monaco

MONTE CARLO, Monaco, May 24 (UPI) -- Felipe Massa will man the pole position in Sunday's Formula One Grand Prix of Monaco in Monte Carlo.

Massa's pole victory Saturday was his third this year, second straight and 12th of his F1 career.

It continued Ferrari's 2008 dominance on the F1 auto racing circuit.

Massa won the first session, where five drivers, including Giancarlo Fisichella, Nelson Piquet and Sebastien Bourdais, were eliminated in the two-step qualifying process.

Massa then duplicated his effort in the second session.

His winning time was 1 minute, 15.787 seconds.

"Incredible! I have got pole on a track where I have always struggled," Massa said about driving the lead car in the circuit's glamor event. "Now I am beginning to like it a bit more. I managed to do a perfect lap with a great car."

Also on the front row will be teammate Raikkonen, the F1 points leader, whose time of 1:15.815 was second-best.

McLaren teammates Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen make up Row 2.