Fernando Alonso seized pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix on Saturday with British team mate and Formula One championship leader Lewis Hamilton alongside on an all-McLaren front row.

Felipe Massa qualified third for Ferrari, the Brazilian's run of three poles in a row ended by the Spanish double world champion who won in Monaco last year for Renault.

Ferrari had been on pole for the past six races but Alonso, with the 16th pole of his career under leaden skies, gave McLaren their first since Kimi Raikkonen at Monza in Italy last September.

The qualifying session left the two McLaren drivers, divided by two points at the top of the championship, well placed for their second one-two of the season.

Raikkonen, now with Ferrari, will start 15th after damaging his car in the second qualifying session -- a severe setback at a tight and twisting circuit where overtaking is extremely difficult.

In a flashback to last year, when his predecessor Michael Schumacher caused a cheating furore by blocking the track at the penultimate Rascasse corner to secure pole, Raikkonen halted at the same spot.

This time the Ferrari was genuinely stricken, with Raikkonen brushing the wall and bouncing hard over the kerb as he exited the Swimming Pool complex.

Renault's Italian Giancarlo Fisichella will start alongside Massa, with Williams's German driver Nico Rosberg and Australian Mark Webber in a Red Bull behind them.

BMW Sauber's German driver Nick Heidfeld shared the fourth row with Polish team mate Robert Kubica.

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