P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Check out the full qualifying report from Imola as Max Verstappen storms to pole position for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen secured his eighth straight pole position at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, equaling Ayrton Senna’s all-time record. Verstappen faced challenges during practice but showed improved performance leading up to the pole position shootout. He clinched pole with a time of 1:14.746, ahead of Piastri and Norris as Ferrari struggled. In Q2, Sergio Perez fell out, starting in 11th, while Lewis Hamilton qualified only eighth. The top 10 shootout saw Verstappen clinch pole by improving his time on the final lap, beating Piastri by 0.074s and equalling Prost’s record of seven straight poles from the start of a season. Ferrari’s performance dropped them to fourth and fifth on the grid. Perez was eliminated in Q2 by a narrow margin, joining Ricciardo outside the top 10. The major talking point was Hulkenberg making it to Q3 for Haas. Fernando Alonso’s elimination in Q1 due to a difficult session was a surprising moment, with the Aston Martin driver starting from the back of the grid. Bottas, Sargeant, Zhou, and Magnussen were also eliminated. Bottas survived by a narrow margin, advancing to Q2. Ferrari’s strategic use of medium tires allowed both drivers to advance to the next segment.
