Massa takes pole, eyes Turkish Grand Prix hat-trick

PERFECT PAIR: Brazilian Ferrari F1 driver Felipe Massa and his wife Anna Rafaela are seen in the Istanbul Park Formula One circuit.

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Istanbul: Ferrari's Felipe Massa set his sights on a Turkish Grand Prix hat-trick after taking pole position for the third year in a row on Saturday.

The Brazilian, winner in 2006 and 2007 at the anti-clockwise Istanbul Park circuit, will have Heikki Kovalainen's McLaren alongside him on the front row on Sunday with the Finn coming back strongly from a heavy crash in Spain.

"I think I put together a very good lap," said Massa of his 11th pole in Formula One, second of the season and Ferrari's 198th since 1950.

"I'm just so happy to come here for the third time with Ferrari and be on pole for the third time. It would be fantastic to repeat that (win) tomorrow.

"I'm looking forward to try and have the best race possible. It won't be easy, we know our competitors are quite strong but close," added the Brazilian, whose team are chasing their fourth successive win.

Every Turkish Grand Prix so far has been won from pole position.

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton was third quickest with Ferrari's world champion Kimi Raikkonen joining the 23-year-old on the second row.

Raikkonen, winner in Turkey with McLaren in 2005, leads Hamilton by nine points in the championship after four races.

"Obviously, I would have preferred to have been further up the grid but this position is definitely not the end of the world," said the Finn.

"Winning is never easy but I'll give it a go."

Kovalainen second

Compatriot Kovalainen, who was knocked unconscious and spent a night in hospital after crashing in the previous race in Barcelona, was delighted to have secured the first front-row start of his career.

"It's been a bit of a roller-coaster over the last couple of weeks," said the Finn, who likened the effect of his accident to being hit over the head with a baseball bat.