Felipe Massa comes back with a bang

Felipe Massa returned to Formula One qualifying on Saturday as if the life-threatening head injuries he suffered last time he fought for pole position had never happened.

The Brazilian, absent from the starting grid since he was hit on the helmet by a heavy spring in Hungary last July, showed he had lost none of his speed by putting his Ferrari on the front row for the first time since November 2008.

New team mate Fernando Alonso, the double world champion who is making his Ferrari race debut this weekend, had to settle for the second row.

"I feel very happy to be back after such a difficult time," Massa told a news conference. "I was watching the races on television and was pretty excited but it is much better to be sat in the car."

Massa, who has won twice before in Bahrain and has now been on the front row there four times in the last five years, was congratulated by Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel who pipped him to the pole by 0.141 seconds.

"I think I am speaking more or less on behalf of all the drivers, to give some great respect to Felipe," said the smiling German.

"It is very, very difficult, well, I don't know, you can ask him, but from the outside big respect for what he has achieved. First race he is back and he is bang, bang bang. It is good to have him back."

Massa thanked him for the kind words.

"It is just fantastic to hear that. We are here to compete and race each other but there is relationship and respect which go over everything," he said.

"All drivers have great respect and it is nice to hear that after such difficult times and such a difficult accident.

"Now I am here 100 percent ready to fight again and most of the people are happy, so that is fantastic to hear. We always want to do the best possible."

Massa suffered the injury after a 1kg spring from compatriot Rubens Barrichello's Brawn car worked loose and bounced down the track at the Hungaroring before striking the Ferrari driver's helmet millimetres above the left eye.

He fractured his skull and was rushed to hospital, where he spent several days in an induced coma and on a respirator.

"I am delighted that Felipe's return to racing will start from the front row of the grid," said Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali. "It is well deserved after everything he went through last year."

- AAP