SEPANG, Malaysia, March 22: Ferrari claimed the front two spots on the grid for the Malaysian Grand Prix, with Felipe Massa snatching pole position in Saturday qualifying ahead of teammate Kimi Raikkonen.

Title rival McLaren filled the second row, with Heikki Kovalainen ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who won the season-opening race in Australia last weekend.

It was the second straight year Massa claimed pole at Sepang, with his time of 1:35.748 almost half a second ahead of Raikkonen, suggesting the Brazilian was running a lighter fuel load and will pit earlier in Sunday’s race.—AP