In an action-packed qualifying session for the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, Max Verstappen showcased his skill by grabbing the pole position, edging out Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc.
In a thrilling one-hour qualifying, divided into three segments, Verstappen emerged victorious by setting the fastest lap time of 1’14.746. McLaren’s Lando Norris will start alongside him on the front row, posting a time just 0.091 seconds slower.
“We knew it would be tight,” Verstappen admitted after the session, “but we just kept our focus and it paid off.”
Oscar Piastri initially qualified second but was relegated to fifth due to a three-place grid penalty for impeding Kevin Magnussen’s Haas during Q1. This penalty allowed Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to move up to third.
Q1 saw early drama with Nico Hulkenberg briefly taking the lead before Verstappen topped the session. Falling at the first hurdle were Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu, Magnussen (affected by Piastri’s actions), Fernando Alonso, and Logan Sargeant, who exceeded track limits and had his quickest time deleted.
Alonso faced multiple issues; his Aston Martin’s handling was compromised after an accident at Rivazza in FP3, forcing him to abort his final Q1 attempt due to an ‘unknown problem’. Sargeant, on his part, chose the gravel at the Villeneuve chicane for an excursion.
In Q2, Leclerc initially set the pace, but Verstappen reclaimed the top spot with a lap time of 1’15.176s, finishing ahead of Leclerc by 0.152 seconds. This segment saw Sergio Perez, Esteban Ocon, Lance Stroll, Alex Albon, and Pierre Gasly being eliminated.
Q3 was the final showdown. Verstappen once again demonstrated his dominance by improving his time to 1’14.746s. Despite a strong effort from Norris and Leclerc, Verstappen’s superior pace secured him the pole. Norris settled for second with a 0.091s gap, while Leclerc managed to trim his deficit but remained third.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz will start fourth, just ahead of Piastri, who despite his penalty, qualified fifth. George Russell, Yuki Tsunoda, Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo, and Hulkenberg complete the top ten.
“It was a tough session, but we’re pleased with the result,” said Norris. “Our car is performing well here, and we look forward to a strong race.”
The grid is now set, and the stage is prepared for an exhilarating race at Imola. Can Verstappen convert his pole into victory, or will the likes of Norris and Leclerc thwart his plans?
With Verstappen taking pole and fierce competition from Norris and Leclerc, the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix promises to be a nail-biting event. Stay tuned for what is sure to be a thrilling race.
