P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Would Max Verstappen have secured pole position at Imola without a tow from his ‘buddy’?
Max Verstappen was described as “a little bit lucky” for securing a ‘tow buddy’ and earning a historic pole position at Imola, matching the records of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. Verstappen managed to turn around a “bad day” on Friday and secure his eighth consecutive pole position, equaling Senna’s mark. His teammate, Lando Norris, was just 0.091s behind him, benefitting from the tow he received from Nico Hulkenberg in Q3. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella acknowledged the importance of these factors, stating that Verstappen was “a little lucky” but also deserved the pole position. Verstappen, despite the challenge, expressed his excitement and happiness for securing pole, highlighting the team’s achievement given the car’s performance on Friday.
