BMW Sauber driver Robert Kubica of Poland gestures after claiming the pole position during the official qualifying session for the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit, yesterday. - AP

SAKHIR, Bahrain (AP):

ROBERT KUBICA is showing there's another team to be reckoned with in Formula One.

Kubica, Formula One's first Polish driver, snapped a Ferrari-McLaren monopoly on the top spot and boosted BMW Sauber's 2008 title aspirations after claiming pole position for today's Bahrain Grand Prix.

Kubica edged Felipe Massa of Ferrari by only 0.027 seconds yesterday. It was the first pole for both Kubica and BMW Sauber.

The 23-year-old Krakow native broke a Ferrari-McLaren streak that had lasted 22 races. Fernando Alonso's pole for Renault at the Chinese GP in October 2006 was the last for another team.

Sauber hadn't claimed a pole since their debut at the South African GP in 1993 - a stretch of 252 races, including the 37 raced with BMW up to Bahrain.

Fantastic day

"We are only in our third season and are at the very top of the grid for the first time," BMW Sauber motor sports director Mario Theissen said. "This is a fantastic day for Robert and our young team."

Kubica finished runner-up to world champion Kimi Raikkonen at the Malaysian GP last month for his second podium. His first came in only his third race - the 2006 Italian GP at Monza.

Kubica's eight championship points this season, along with teammate Nick Heidfeld's second-place showing at Melbourne, meant expectations were already high for the team coming into Bahrain.

Kubica said a strenuous offseason testing programme was the reason for the good results.

"We're always expecting to be strong. Finally, it has paid off that we never gave up working hard," Kubica said. "We pushed as hard as possible and we managed to be ready. A long race lies ahead of us tomorrow."