In the lead-up to the seventh race of the 2024 Formula 1 Championship, the Emilia Romagna GP, Max Verstappen of Red Bull clinched the pole position during the qualifying sessions.
Contrary to initial weather forecasts, the Formula 1 weekend in Imola saw sunny and warm conditions. Following impressive performances by Ferrari and McLaren in practice sessions, Red Bull made a strong entrance in the close-fought qualifying rounds.
Overcoming a challenging Friday, Verstappen was the fastest in all qualifying sessions, securing the pole with a time of 1:14.746. This performance keeps Verstappen unbeaten in pole positions this season. Moreover, by clinching his 8th consecutive pole, he has equaled the record held by the legendary Ayrton Senna.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri secured the second position with a lap time of 1:14.820, just 0.074 seconds behind Verstappen. Right behind him was his teammate Lando Norris, marking a significant achievement for McLaren as they secured the 2nd and 3rd positions before the Imola race.
Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, competing on home ground, delivered a competitive performance but finished 0.224 seconds off the pole, placing him 4th. His teammate Carlos Sainz followed closely in 5th position.
Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished in 6th and 8th positions respectively, with RB’s Yuki Tsunoda, who had a strong qualifying, sandwiched between them. RB also saw Daniel Ricciardo finish in 9th, ensuring both their cars were in the top 10.
Nico Hulkenberg, who made it to the final qualifying segment, couldn’t improve his time and settled for the 10th spot.
The Emilia-Romagna GP will kick off on Sunday, promising an exciting race ahead.