A thrilling Qualifying session at Imola set the stage for an unpredictable Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri claimed pole position in dramatic fashion, narrowly edging out Max Verstappen by just 0.034 seconds during the final laps of Q3. With this performance, the championship leader extends his momentum and looks to widen the 16-point gap to his teammate Lando Norris, who will line up fourth behind George Russell.
For the Tifosi, however, the day brought heartbreak. Hometown hero Charles Leclerc was knocked out in Q2, finishing 11th, while Lewis Hamilton also failed to make it into Q3, ending up in 12th. This marked one of Ferrari’s worst qualifying sessions at Imola, leaving fans in stunned silence.
There were several dramatic incidents on track as well. Yuki Tsunoda suffered a high-speed crash in Q1, flipping his Red Bull car spectacularly. Fortunately, the Japanese driver escaped unscathed. Alpine debutant Franco Colapinto also crashed on his first qualifying session with the team, ending his day early.
Fernando Alonso delivered his best grid result of the 2025 season, qualifying fifth. He was followed by Williams teammates Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, with Lance Stroll slotting into eighth. Racing Bull’s rising star Isack Hadjar impressed once again in ninth, and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly completed the top ten.