Oscar Piastri delivered a stunning performance to take pole position for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, holding off none other than Max Verstappen in a dramatic qualifying session filled with chaos, heartbreak, and jaw-dropping moments at Imola.
But while McLaren celebrated a front-row lockout with Piastri ahead of teammate Lando Norris, there was despair in the Tifosi-packed grandstands as both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, now both driving for Ferrari, failed to make Q3, sparking audible gasps from the passionate Italian fans.
Qualifying carnage: Tsunoda flips, Colapinto crashes
The drama began early in Q1 when Yuki Tsunoda lost control of his Racing Bulls car and flipped into the barriers at high speed. In a terrifying moment, the car overturned but thankfully landed upright, and the Japanese driver walked away unhurt. However, his session ended without a flying lap, leaving him at the bottom of the timesheets.
The chaos didn’t end there. On the final flying laps of Q1, Franco Colapinto crashed his Alpine in a separate incident, bringing out the red flag with seconds left on the clock. Though he had provisionally set a time good enough for P14, the crash meant he couldn’t continue into Q2. Others weren’t so lucky. Oliver Bearman, Esteban Ocon, Nico Hülkenberg, and Liam Lawson all missed the cut—and Bearman was furious, believing his final lap should have counted before the red flag.
Q2 shock: Ferrari falls flat in front of home crowd
After a lengthy delay to determine final Q1 results, Q2 brought the ultimate heartbreak for Ferrari fans. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, both running in the Top 10 with a few minutes remaining, were knocked out in the dying seconds as Pierre Gasly and both Aston Martins improved dramatically on their final laps.
Leclerc, looking visibly frustrated, was bumped down to 11th, while Hamilton followed in 12th. Meanwhile, rising star and local favorite Andrea Kimi Antonelli could do no better than P13 in his first home Grand Prix qualifying session with Mercedes.
Final Top 10 grid for Emilia-Romagna GP (provisional):
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Carlos Sainz (Williams)
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
- Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls) – no time set, starting position to be confirmed
- TBD (pending Colapinto crash analysis)
A tale of two paddocks
For McLaren, it’s another day of celebration—Piastri’s first career pole in Formula 1 and a clear indication that their upgrades have made them serious contenders across the board. For Ferrari, it’s a nightmare at home: both cars out before Q3, in front of thousands of stunned fans expecting a show of strength.
And with Max Verstappen lurking on the front row and Carlos Sainz keeping Williams firmly in the mix, Sunday’s Grand Prix is shaping up to be a high-stakes chess match with emotions running high on every lap.
Imola has delivered drama. The race promises even more. 🏁🇮🇹
