Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone is hoping Sebastian Vettel or Felipe Massa can clinch this year's world title.

Both drivers finished ahead of the four world champions on the grid in qualifying for Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix.

Vettel clinched the sixth pole position of his career, the 22-year-old German beating the returning Massa by just 0.141 seconds around the 6.299 kilometre Sakhir circuit.

Behind them, Fernando Alonso starts third on his debut for Ferrari, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton is fourth, Michael Schumacher seventh for Mercedes on his comeback and Jenson Button eighth in his McLaren.

Ecclestone has always had a soft spot for Red Bull Racing's Vettel, often hailing him as a future world champion.

And he said on Saturday: "I said a year or two ago he'd be world champion. He's not there yet, but you can see he has all the capabilities."

Asked if he felt this would be Vettel's year, he replied: "I hope so, him or Felipe.

"He's been unlucky. Both the guys could have been world champion."

Ecclestone was referring to Massa's near miss in Brazil in 2008 when he lost the title by just 20 seconds to Hamilton.

The Brazilian then required life-saving surgery after an accident in qualifying for the Hungary Grand Prix eight months ago.

In his first qualifying outing since then, Massa's performance was a surprise as he outpaced Alonso to grab his first front-row start since the 2008 race at Interlagos.

It had Vettel applauding the 28-year-old as he said: "I think I am speaking more or less on behalf of all the drivers, 'Give some great respect to Felipe for what he has achieved.'

"First race he is back and he is bang, bang, bang. It is good to have him back."

As far as Ecclestone is concerned, "the grid looks good," although he is unsurprised Schumacher is not yet back on the pace.

Commenting on the 41-year-old, who has spent the last three and a half years in retirement, Ecclestone added: "I don't know how good the car is.

"Michael's just come back, my God, (he's) been on holiday for a long time. We'll have to wait until he gets stuck into it."