Imagine racing against the best drivers in the world and finding out you have a secret helper. That’s exactly what happened to Max Verstappen at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen, racing for Red Bull, seemed to have a tough time all weekend at Imola. The odds were against him, but everything turned around thanks to an unexpected ‘tow buddy.’ This mysterious helper played a big role in Verstappen grabbing pole position for the eighth time in a row.
As qualifying laps got intense, Verstappen managed to stay ahead of McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. The key moment came on the straight leading to Turn 2, known as Tamburello. Verstappen’s top speed helped him maintain a substantial gap, twice as large as Piastri’s final 0.074 seconds.
But Verstappen didn’t achieve this all by himself. He had some help from an unlikely partner—Nico Hulkenberg from the Haas team. Their collaboration happened almost by accident. During Q2, Verstappen gave Hulkenberg a boost, known as a ‘tow,’ to Turn 17. In return, Hulkenberg gave Verstappen a tow to Turn 2.
“We were tow buddies out there,” Verstappen smiled when asked about Hulkenberg’s help. “In Q2 I gave him a tow to Turn 17. Then he gave me a tow to Turn 2. I think I did arrive a bit too quick for my liking because I did miss Turn 2 a little bit, so I did gain and then I did lose a bit in 2.”
The partnership wasn’t planned. Hulkenberg decided to make his final qualifying run early to avoid traffic, which resulted in him passing Verstappen just as they entered the final Rivazza complex. Verstappen saw the opportunity and got in line behind Hulkenberg, who kept his speed even though his qualifying session was over.
“Max and I, we’ve been helping each other out this quali,” Hulkenberg told Sky Sports F1. “He helped me a few times in Q2 and I returned the favor here [in Q3]. So yeah, you need the support of colleagues sometimes.”
These small advantages can make a huge difference, especially when you’re struggling. Verstappen admitted, “But when you are struggling the whole weekend and then finally it’s coming around, you have to look for these little advantages to try and stay ahead, and it worked out beautifully.”
In the high-speed world of Formula 1, even the smallest help can be game-changing. Verstappen’s impromptu teamwork with Hulkenberg shows that sometimes, even rivals can become unexpected allies. And with that lucky ‘tow,’ Verstappen secured his spot at the front, proving that every little boost counts.
