After the one-hour qualifying session, divided into three segments with five cars eliminated in Q1 and Q2 before the top-10 shootout in Q3, Verstappen started ahead of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris of McLaren. Early on, Piastri set the fastest time of 1m15.940s, 0.073s faster than Verstappen. However, F1’s most recent race winner, Norris, took P1 with a time of 1m15.915s, stealing P1 by 0.025s.
Imola Grand Prix Q1
Nico Hulkenberg of Haas temporarily held the top spot with 1m15.841s, but Verstappen dominated the session with 1m15.762s, finishing 0.061s ahead of Charles Leclerc of Ferrari. Valtteri Bottas (Sauber), Zhou Guanyu (Sauber), Kevin Magnussen (Haas), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), and Logan Sargeant (Williams) all fell at the first hurdle. Piastri baulked Magnussen on his penultimate lap.
After crashing at Rivazza in FP3, Alonso had a bad outing at Tamburello, and his Aston’s handling appeared awful as the team struggled to rebuild it. There was an “unknown problem” that required him to end his final lap. The Villeneuve chicane was Sargeant’s choice for his ride over the gravel trap. Due to surpassing track limits, his fastest time, which was good enough for 17th place, was removed.
Leclerc established the record at 1m15.328s, 0.03 seconds quicker than Yuki Tsunoda’s RB, and Verstappen trailed behind by a further 0.03 seconds. Yet, Verstappen quickly resumed normal operations, winning Q2 by 0.152 seconds with a session-high 1 minute, 15.176 seconds.
Imola Grand Prix Q2
Sergio Perez (Red Bull), Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Alex Albon (Williams), and Pierre Gasly (Alpine) were eliminated at this stage. Verstappen led the first run in 1m14.869s, 0.073s quicker than Norris, and Leclerc trailed the provisional pole by 0.147s.
Leclerc finished third despite closing the gap to 0.101 seconds in the last run. Verstappen was able to increase his lead by even more time, with 1m14.746s.
Norris came within 0.091s of the pole position, but Piastri edged his teammate to the front row with a time of 1m14.820s, 0.074s clear of Verstappen, who, had he not improved on his last push lap, would have started on the second row.
Leclerc and Carlos Sainz’s Ferraris will start fourth and fifth, respectively, ahead of Hulkenberg, Yuki Tsunoda (RB), Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Daniel Ricciardo (RB), and George Russell (Mercedes).
Imola Grand Prix Q3
Verstappen led the first run in 1m14.869s, 0.073s quicker than Norris, and Leclerc trailed the provisional pole by 0.147s. Leclerc finished third, despite closing the gap to 0.101 seconds in the last run. Verstappen was able to increase his lead by even more time, with 1m14.746s.
Norris came within 0.091s of the pole position, but Piastri edged his teammate to the front row with a time of 1m14.820s, 0.074s clear of Verstappen, who, had he not improved on his last push lap, would have started on the second row.
Leclerc and Carlos Sainz’s Ferraris will start fourth and fifth, respectively, ahead of Hulkenberg, Yuki Tsunoda (RB), Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Daniel Ricciardo (RB), and George Russell (Mercedes).
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