New Delhi: Another day, another pole position for McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, as the Australian claims his third pole position of the season at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix 2025. He becomes the first McLaren driver since Kimi Raikkonnen in 2005 to start on pole at the Imola Circuit.
McLaren were at the centre of attraction coming to the Saturday qualifying session, having set the top two fastest laps during the practice. Max Verstappen had looked threatening of taking the pole position, having set the quickest Q3 time, but it was Piastri’s final flying lap that placed him 0.034 seconds behind the Dutch driver. Verstappen will start second while George Russell and Norris start third and fourth, respectively, with Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz completing the third row.
A mixed-up grid for Sunday’s race 👀#F1 #ImolaGP pic.twitter.com/SlTG30UOi6
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 17, 2025
Lengthy Qualifiers due to double red flag
The qualifications lasted much longer than the initial schedule due to two red flags. The first one came after Yuki Tsunoda rolled into the barrier while Franco Colapinto finished the session with the wreck, though he had set a fast enough time to go through Q2. For the Argentine driver, it was his first race back on the grid. The second session started with some uncertainty. The session got delayed after the FIA reviewed whether Bearman’s final Q3 lap was valid.
Sauber had already sent Bortoleto to wait in the pit lane, which was allowed, but the Q2 didn’t start as the final decision hadn’t been communicated. McLaren bounced back to 1-2 on the early Q2 laps with Norris behind Piastri initially, though neither could to[p Verstappen’s Q1 time.
With only 10 drivers completing their timing after the first red flag, Alex Albon in P1 went 0.074 seconds quicker than Alonso. Hamilton finished third and Leclerc fifth in the Ferrari pair’s first laps, with Sainz separating them. However, the drivers from Mercedes and McLaren, among others, hadn’t set a time yet, and that made all the difference.
Verstappen posted the session’s fastest time after the last flying Q1 laps, followed by Piastri and Alonso, Norris in sixth place, and the Ferraris outside the top 10. Bearman posted the tenth-fastest lap, seemingly sneaking out of the drop zone, but it was later removed after he failed to complete under green flag conditions. The practice concluded when Alpine’s Colapinto raised the second red flag.
Although Antonelli was sitting P10 ahead of the final runs, the drivers of the Ferrari and Mercedes appeared to be well ahead of the last flying laps. Hadjar’s position in fourth place prior to the last laps of Q2 was a greater surprise. Sainz set the quickest time, putting him ahead of Piastri and Norris.
Aston Martin stars in Ferrari’s poor outing
The following session had its own twists and turns, with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly knocking out Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli out of Q2, while Aston Martin gambled with tires for the Q2 lap. Both Alonso and Lance Stroll went just past the Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
By Q3, the Aston Martins were looking more dangerous than they had throughout the season. Stroll was sixth while Alonso was placed seventh after the first runs, with Verstappen on a provisional pole just ahead of the two McLarens. Even though he had the fastest time, Verstappen was always trying to become better. He said on the radio that the last chicane was difficult and requested a slight flap modification.
Right before the final flying laps, Mercedes put Russell on medium tyres while the two McLarens and Verstappen went out on soft tyres. Despite being a home race, the Ferrari had a disastrous outing with Leclerc on 11th, while Hamilton starts one place behind on 12th.
Oscar Piastri took his third pole position of the season, going just past Verstappen to become the first McLarendriver since 2005 to take pole at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
