Verstappen takes Imola pole as Ferrari disappoints
Max Verstappen claimed pole at Imola, overcoming early struggles. McLaren's Piastri and Norris took second and third. Ferrari disappointed at home, with Leclerc third and Sainz fifth.
The Imola Grand Prix weekend took a dramatic turn during qualifying, with Max Verstappen overcoming Red Bull's early struggles to secure pole position.
McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris impressed with strong performances, while Ferrari faced disappointment on home soil.
Q1
Early Surprises and Disappointments Q1 saw Max Verstappen leading the pack ahead of Charles Leclerc, with the Ferraris progressing on medium tires.
However, last-gasp efforts weren't enough to save Valtteri Bottas, Logan Sargeant, and Zhou Guanyu from elimination, finishing 16th, 17th, and 18th, respectively.
Kevin Magnussen struggled, ending up 19th, while Fernando Alonso faced a challenging session after missing the start due to repairs following his FP3 crash.
The Spaniard abandoned his final attempt, failing to improve on his personal best and settling for 20th.
Q2
Perez Falls as Midfield Battles Intensify In Q2, Verstappen once again topped the timesheets ahead of Leclerc.
However, the biggest surprise came from Sergio Perez, who was eliminated in the second Red Bull despite setting his best time at the end of the segment.
Esteban Ocon, Lance Stroll, Alex Albon, and Pierre Gasly also missed out on progressing to Q3, intensifying the midfield battles.
Q3
Verstappen's Pole, McLaren's Resurgence, and Ferrari's Woes Q3 showcased a thrilling battle for pole position.
Verstappen, who had hailed Red Bull's pre-qualifying set-up changes, set the initial benchmark with a 1m14.869s, ahead of Norris and Leclerc.
In the final runs, Leclerc failed to improve, remaining third. Verstappen, despite a wobble in the last corner, managed to lower the pole time to a 1m14.746s.
Piastri stole second from Norris and Leclerc, finishing just 0.074s behind Verstappen, but faces a post-session investigation for allegedly impeding Magnussen in Q1.
Later, Piastri received a three-place grid penalty for impeding Kevin Magnussen.
McLaren's strong performance, with Norris in third, highlighted their resurgence and potential to challenge the front-runners in the race.
Meanwhile, Ferrari's hopes took a hit, with Leclerc third and Sainz fifth on home turf.
The Imola Grand Prix qualifying session delivered excitement, surprises, and disappointments.
As Verstappen secured pole, McLaren confirmed their improved pace.
Ferrari were disappointed because they showed great pace all weekend, fueled also by their recent upgrade.
Qualifying Results:
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