Oscar Piastri delivered a statement performance at Imola to snatch pole position for the 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, edging out Max Verstappen by just 0.034s in a tightly contested and crash-marred qualifying session.
The McLaren driver clocked a 1:14.670 in the final minutes of Q3 to beat the Red Bull driver’s benchmark. Despite a less-than-perfect final sector, Piastri’s superior middle sector proved decisive, handing him his third pole of the season and McLaren another front-row start.
Verstappen had led after the first runs in Q3 with a 1:14.772 but couldn’t find enough time in the final two sectors to reclaim top spot. “It’s always better to be starting on pole, but we’ll try to challenge from P2,” said the reigning world champion.
Mercedes’ George Russell sprung a surprise by taking third on the grid after switching to medium tyres for his final Q3 attempt. He outqualified Lando Norris, who was fourth fastest in the second McLaren.
“It was a great session but a tough session with all the delays and red flags,” Piastri said after qualifying on pole at Imola. “And with the tyres as well, today the C6 was a real mystery. The lap was good, I had about four cars in the last corner which didn’t help.
“I wasn’t thrilled to be the first car on track, you lose the slipstream but you don’t have any dirty air. That’s what we chose to do, we have enough pace to be able to do that and the team did great.”
More from the Singapore GP
Catch up with Total Motorsport's latest Singapore GP coverage, including Max Verstappen's victory at Marina Bay, Ferrari's costly strategy gamble, the full race classification, and the updated 2026 Formula 1 Drivers' and Constructors' Championship standings.
Alonso delivers, Ferrari flop again
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso produced a standout lap to secure fifth, his best qualifying result of the season, also on the medium tyre.
Behind him, Williams pair Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon continued their strong weekend with P6 and P7, while Lance Stroll, Isack Hadjar, and Pierre Gasly rounded out the top 10.
Ferrari endured a disastrous qualifying on home soil as both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were eliminated in Q2.
Leclerc missed the top 10 shootout by under a tenth of a second, while Hamilton complained of braking issues en route to 12th. Rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli also failed to advance, finishing 13th in front of his home fans.
Red flags and chaos in Q1
The first part of qualifying saw two red flags. First, Yuki Tsunoda suffered a terrifying crash at Turn 5, rolling his Red Bull after losing the rear.
Thankfully, the Japanese driver walked away unscathed.
Moments later, Franco Colapinto, stepping in at Alpine, lost control at Tamburello and hit the tyre barriers head-on. He had done enough to progress to Q2 but could not take part due to damage.
Colapinto’s red flag also compromised Liam Lawson, who was unable to complete a final lap. Nico Hulkenberg, Esteban Ocon, and Oliver Bearman joined him as Q1 casualties, the latter having a late lap time deleted due to the timing of the red flag.
McLaren’s pace through practice and now qualifying leaves them clear favourites heading into Sunday’s race, with both drivers on the front two rows and looking to extend their advantage in the championship.
Despite expectations of a strong home showing, Ferrari failed to get either driver into Q3, while McLaren locked out the front row for the second time this season.
The session’s unpredictability, with multiple red flags and tyre strategy variables, set the stage for what promises to be a thrilling race on Sunday.
Who took pole for the 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix?
Oscar Piastri claimed pole position at Imola with a lap of 1:14.670, narrowly beating Max Verstappen by 0.034 seconds.
Why did Charles Leclerc miss Q3 at Imola?
Leclerc failed to improve on his final lap in Q2 and was knocked out by just 0.07s, leaving him 11th on the grid for Ferrari’s home race.
What caused the red flags in Q1 at Imola?
Yuki Tsunoda crashed heavily at Turn 5, flipping his car. Franco Colapinto later spun into the barriers at Tamburello, prompting a second red flag.
