Event: Emilia Romagna F1 GP
Track: Autodromo Imola
Weather: dry 24.1°C
Tarmac: dry 41.8°C
Humidity: 43%
Wind: 5.4 km/h South
Max Verstappen qualified as quickest for the 39th time today. The Red Bull driver scored pole position for tomorrow's Grand Prix. It was the seventh pole of the season for the Dutch driver and the 102nd pole for Red Bull Racing.
2024 Emilia Romagna Formula 1 Grand Prix: Qualifying Report
Q1: Early Exits and Investigations
The first segment of qualifying saw significant drama, notably with Oscar Piastri being placed under investigation for impeding Kevin Magnussen. This incident could impact his impressive performance later in the session. The final minutes of Q1 were crucial, with several drivers scrambling to set competitive times. Max Verstappen showed his usual dominance, securing the fastest lap despite a scrappy final corner.
Fernando Alonso had a disastrous session, failing to recover from earlier struggles and ultimately aborting his final lap, relegating him to 20th place. Valtteri Bottas, Logan Sargeant, Zhou Guanyu, and Kevin Magnussen also failed to advance, joining Alonso in the bottom five.
Eliminated in Q1: Valtteri Bottas, Logan Sargeant, Zhou Guanyu, Kevin Magnussen, Fernando Alonso
Q2: Perez Stumbles as Ricciardo Shines
The second qualifying segment was marked by Sergio Perez's surprising exit. Despite a valiant effort, Perez could not break into the top ten, ending his session in 11th place. Daniel Ricciardo, on the other hand, capitalized on the opportunity, making it to Q3 for the first time this season.
Mercedes drivers showed improved pace, with both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell securing spots in the top ten. Ferrari also demonstrated strong performance with both cars comfortably advancing. As the session concluded, Esteban Ocon, Lance Stroll, Alexander Albon, and Pierre Gasly joined Perez in the elimination zone.
Eliminated in Q2: Sergio Perez, Esteban Ocon, Lance Stroll, Alexander Albon, Pierre Gasly
Q3: Verstappen Seals Pole, Piastri Impresses
The final segment of qualifying was a showcase of Max Verstappen's resilience and skill. Despite struggles in practice, Verstappen delivered when it mattered most, securing pole position with a stunning lap. His performance was particularly emotional, marking a significant achievement at a track where Ayrton Senna's legacy looms large.
Oscar Piastri, despite the looming investigation, put in an impressive performance to secure second place on the grid, narrowly missing out on pole by less than a tenth of a second. His McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, also excelled, taking third place and ensuring a strong starting position for the team.
Ferrari showed competitive pace, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz securing fourth and fifth positions, respectively. George Russell managed sixth, while Yuki Tsunoda, Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo, and Nico Hulkenberg rounded out the top ten.
Top 10 Qualifiers: Max Verstappen, Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, George Russell, Yuki Tsunoda, Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo, Nico Hulkenberg
Looking Ahead: Race Day Expectations
Tomorrow's 63-lap race promises excitement, with weather conditions potentially playing a crucial role. The threat of showers could mix up strategies, making tire choices and pit stops critical. McLaren's strong qualifying positions suggest they could challenge Red Bull with alternative strategies, especially if Piastri's investigation results in a grid penalty.
Ferrari's race pace appeared strong, and both their drivers are in a position to capitalize on any mistakes from the front runners. The long pit lane at Imola typically makes it a one-stop race, but the teams will be on high alert for any changes in weather.
Join us tomorrow at 15:00 local time for what promises to be an exhilarating Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
1:18,793 was the quickest lap time of Sprint qualifying back in 2022 set by Max Verstappen with the Red Bull RB18.
Qualifying Times 2024 E. Romagna GP
Pos | No | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Laps |
1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:15.762 | 1:15.176 | 1:14.746 | 18 |
2 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:15.940 | 1:15.407 | 1:14.820 | 15 |
3 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:15.915 | 1:15.371 | 1:14.837 | 19 |
4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:15.823 | 1:15.328 | 1:14.970 | 21 |
5 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 1:16.015 | 1:15.512 | 1:15.233 | 20 |
6 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:16.107 | 1:15.671 | 1:15.234 | 18 |
7 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | 1:15.894 | 1:15.358 | 1:15.465 | 15 |
8 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:16.604 | 1:15.677 | 1:15.504 | 20 |
9 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren | 1:16.060 | 1:15.691 | 1:15.674 | 15 |
10 | 27 | Nico Hülkenberg | Haas | 1:15.841 | 1:15.569 | 1:15.980 | 21 |
11 | 11 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull | 1:16.404 | 1:15.706 | 10 | |
12 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | 1:16.361 | 1:15.906 | 15 | |
13 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:16.458 | 1:15.992 | 15 | |
14 | 23 | Alex Albon | Williams | 1:16.524 | 1:16.200 | 12 | |
15 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:16.015 | 1:16.381 | 14 | |
16 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo | 1:16.626 | 6 | ||
17 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo | 1:16.834 | 9 | ||
18 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | 1:16.854 | 8 | ||
19 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:16.917 | 7 | ||
NC | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams | DNF | 8 |
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Nice quali Max, cheko was a bit strange, another nail in DRs coffin i reckon, King George well done, same pace as Sainz, so Whiner Lulu should be further up the grid, another thrashing by his team mate, and he just doesnt seem to care, Yuki did well too, should be a cracking race. Logan just cant do it, JV should sign VB tomorrow
What a lackluster qualifying by Alonso, & getting out-qualified by Stroll for a third consecutive qualifying session, including Miami's sprint qualifying, & Checo's Q2 elimination, was also surprising, albeit less than Alonso's Q1 elimination.
Piastri was foolish to stay on the racing line & literally in the middle with Magnussen fast approaching, which will most certainly cost him the P2 starting position for the race.
Yes, he didn't get warned, avoiding the racing line as much as possible is always a driver's responsibility.
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