MANAMA, March 11: Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher equalled Ayrton Senna’s record of 65 pole positions Saturday by setting the fastest time in qualifying for Sunday’s (today) season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

The 37-year-old German clocked a time of one minute 31.431 seconds to edge out his Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa of Brazil who timed 1:31.478.

Behind the front pair, Briton Jenson Button, in a Honda and world champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso, in a Renault, make up row two ahead of McLaren’s Juan Pablo Montoya.

McLaren had a terrible day as their Finnish star Kimi Raikkonen crashed in the first 15-minute session and will start from the back of the grid.

German Nick Heidfeld, 28, made it a good debut for BMW Sauber as he qualified 10th on the grid.

But he almost did not make it, as he lay 16th during the second knock-out session when, with just eight seconds remaining, he set the fourth fastest time to knock his former world champion teammate Jacques Villeneuve out of the top ten.

Canadian Villeneuve, 34, will therefore start 11th ahead of the other drivers knocked out in session two, including German Nico Rosberg and Red Bull’s David Coulthard, 34 - who qualified ahead of both Toro Rosso cars.

Alonso was fastest in both of the knock-out sessions to determine the ten fastest cars to go through into the final 20-minute session.

Williams’ debutant Rosberg missed his chance to compete in the top-10 run-off when he spun into a tyre barrier at turn 10 during the second session.

Raikkonen, 26, will start 22nd after he almost flipped on his first lap out of the pits.

He was approaching turn nine of the Sakhir circuit on his first lap out of the pits when his rear wing flew off, damaging the right-rear suspension and forcing him off the road.

He drove the car back to the pits but the McLaren team were unable to repair the car in time for him to complete a lap in remainder of the session.

Therefore he was eliminated from the rest of qualifying and will start last.

Toyota’s Ralf Schumacher was the highest-placed driver to be knocked out in the first session and will start 16th.

Behind him, Super Aguri’s Japanese debutant Yuji Ide, 31, was faster than his more experienced team-mate Takuma Sato, 29, and Raikkonen.

Starting grid

First row: 1. Michael Schumacher (GER) 1:31.431, 2. Felipe Massa (BRA) 1:31.478

Second row: 3. Jenson Button (GBR) 1:31.549, 4. Fernando Alonso (ESP) 1:31.702

Third row: 5. Juan Pablo Montoya (COL) 1:32.164, 6. Rubens Barrichello (BRA) 1:32.579

Fourth row: 7. Mark Webber (AUS)1.33.006, 8. Christian Klien (AUT) 1:33:112

Fifth row: 9. Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA) 1:33.496, 10. Nick Heidfeld (GER) 1:33.926

Sixth row: 11. Jacques Villeneuve (CAN) 1:32.456, 12. Nico Rosberg (GER) 1:32.620

Seventh row: 13. David Coulthard (GBR) 1:32.850, 14. Jarno Trulli (ITA) 1:33.066

Eight row: 15. Vitantonio Liuzzi (ITA) 1:33.416, 16. Scott Speed (USA) 1:34.606

Ninth row: 17. Ralf Schumacher (GER) 1:34.702, 18. Christijan Albers (NED) 1:35.724

Tenth row: 19. Tiago Monteiro (POR) 1:35.900, 20. Takuma Sato (JPN) 1:37.411

11th row: 21. Yugi Ide (JPN) 1:40.270, 22. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN).—Agencies