Massa takes pole

Massa, who has won two of the last three races, grabbed top spot for the 78-lap showdown around the streets of Monte Carlo, edging out Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen.

With an all-red front row, it means Lewis Hamilton's hopes of a win on his favourite track appears unlikely as he starts third in his McLaren.

Behind Hamilton came his team-mate Heikki Kovalainen, with Robert Kubica fifth in his BMW Sauber, followed by Williams' Nico Rosberg, Fernando Alonso for Renault and the Toyota of Jarno Trulli.

The qualifying session, though, was overshadowed by an accident involving David Coulthard in Q2, which effectively handed him a five-place penalty on the grid.

Coulthard suffered a 180mph shunt, with the two-time winner of this race in 2000 and 2002 losing control of his Red Bull Racing car as he emerged out of the tunnel.

The 37-year-old rammed into a barrier before hurtling down a run-off area beyond the Nouvelle Chicane on only two wheels.

Coulthard later conceded he was lucky to escape suffering serious injury as he sustained nothing more than a sore head and bruised elbow.

And although his mechanics were forced to work through the night to repair the damage they have had to replace the gearbox, which carries with it a five-place grid penalty.

It means Coulthard, who had qualified 10th, will now start 15th in what is almost certain to be a wet race as rain has dominated over the Cote d'Azur throughout Sunday morning.