Max Verstappen overcame his RB20 to misfire at Imola to take pole position ahead of two McLarens.
It’s been 30 years since Ayrton Senna died at this venue, and Verstappen paid tribute in his own way by equaling the Brazilian’s record for most consecutive pole positions. It hasn’t been an easy journey in my career.
2024 Emilia Romagna GP Qualifying Winners and Losers
winner
max verstappen
Come to the King, don’t miss it.
It takes courage to bet on Max Verstappen for qualifying, but if you’re going to bet, this seemed like your chance.
It was a frustrating weekend for Verstappen and Red Bull as they experienced Mercedes-like levels of difficulty in finding the right set-up and didn’t seem to have solved it even after FP3. .
Verstappen stepped up.
This was probably one of the best examples of driver vs. machine, as the RB20’s actual pace at Imola could be much lower, as demonstrated in Sergio Perez’s session, but Verstappen’s Skill and talent allowed him to take it to the highest level. A level that cannot be imitated by others.
Imola is one of the toughest tracks to overtake, so it will take a huge effort from the Dutchman to deny him victory in Sunday’s 59th race.
mclaren
Continuing Miami’s strong run, McLaren looked the most in-form team all weekend. Even though Verstappen’s brilliance prevented him from taking pole, the next two spots on the grid will be filled by Papaya.
Oscar Piastri was particularly quick on Saturday, vindicating his speed in his first P2 start since Japan last year, with Lando Norris 0.017 seconds behind his teammate.
Verstappen could take pole position, but given the two-on-one situation and the fast cars certified, a win for either driver is not out of the question.
Hiroki Tsunoda
Hiroki Tsunoda continues to have a great season, and this weekend was his best performance.
RB was shown to have pace by both Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo, but in the end it was the Japanese driver who was able to make the most of it.
The 24-year-old, who lives just around the corner from the circuit, is scheduled to start ahead of Lewis Hamilton tomorrow and could have included George Russell if he had set his last lap.
It was also a good afternoon for Ricciardo, who advanced to Q3 for the first time this season.
Takayama
Alpine’s recovery continued and both drivers qualified for Q2 for the second time in as many races.
The upgrades in the last few Grands Prix have clearly dragged us down from the bottom of the standings, but we still have work to do if we want to move up further.
Nico Hulkenberg
Nico Hulkenberg continued his strong performance on Saturday and would have been left out of this list given his consistency, but his lap in Q2 in particular is worth noting.
1:15.569 was the 6th fastest time of the session, so even if he can’t match it in Q3, there’s a chance he’ll do well on Sunday to finish in the top 10.
loser
Fernando Alonso
It was a nightmare day for Fernando Alonso, one that the Spaniard has become accustomed to on the other side of the garage since his move to Silverstone.
Despite a relatively accident-free Friday, Alonso had some problems in FP3, spinning out and taking a big jolt to his gearbox.
The Aston Martin team’s attempts to restore the car to its original condition were successful, but they were hardly needed as Alonso finished the session in 19th place.
It was a rare off day for the two-time world champion, and one in which he was not optimistic about an upset.
Sergio Perez
Given this weekend’s troubles, Red Bull’s failure to advance to Q3 may not have been the disaster it used to be for Sergio Perez, but Verstappen’s performance has put the Mexican’s failings in the spotlight.
Touted to be second only to Monaco in terms of importance of track position, Perez may be normally strong in races, but he leaves himself with an almighty hill to climb, especially when there are faster cars in front of him. There is.
A points finish is still expected, but anything beyond that would be a good day at the office for the 34-year-old.
sergeant logan
The walls really seem to be closing in on Sergeant Logan.
On the weekend when bosses most publicly hinted that the driver was being treated for a door failure, and hours after Valtteri Bottas was spotted leaving his Williams motorhome, today’s Sergeant delivered a really strong performance It could have been done.
Instead, he saw his time shaved off and relegated to the bottom of the standings.
Even if Alonso is concerned about overtaking difficulties, it does not inspire confidence for Sargent and we may be seeing the final few races of the American’s F1 career.
Read next: Emilia Romagna GP: Max Verstappen defies practice struggles to take pole position at Imola
