Emilia Romagna GP: Oscar Piastri on pole place from Max Verstappen after Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc nightmare at Imola

Oscar Piastri snatched pole place from Max Verstappen in an exciting Qualifying for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix which noticed each Ferraris eradicated earlier than Q3 and two large crashes.

Championship chief Piastri pipped Verstappen by simply 0.034s within the final runs and can look to increase his 16-point benefit over McLaren team-mate Lando Norris, who will begin fourth behind George Russell.

Norris was unable to enhance on his final flying lap and faces a giant problem to return to successful methods when the lights exit in Imola on Sunday at 2pm, stay on Sky Sports activities F1.

The house crowd was silenced when Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton had been knocked out in Q2 in eleventh and twelfth – giving Ferrari their worst Qualifying efficiency at Imola.

Yuki Tsunoda had a scary accident in Q1 when he flipped his Crimson Bull at excessive velocity however was capable of stroll away, and Alpine’s Franco Colapinto additionally crashed on his first outing for the group.

Fernando Alonso secured his greatest grid place of 2025 within the upgraded Aston Martin in fifth, forward of Williams pair Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, with Lance Stroll in eighth.

Racing Bull’s Isack Hadjar continued to impress in ninth, with Pierre Gasly in tenth for Alpine.

Piastri proves he is driver to beat

McLaren dominated follow with one-twos in all three classes however, as has been the case all season, Verstappen was there to problem when it mattered most.

Verstappen went quickest by half a tenth from Piastri after the primary Q3 runs however the McLaren driver hit again with an excellent final lap of a 1:14.670.

Though Verstappen improved, it was not sufficient as he fell 0.034s in need of pole however continued the exceptional pattern of the pole margin being lower than one tenth this season at each race other than Bahrain.

“We’ve been trying a few different things this weekend and we got it into a nice place for Qualifying,” stated Piastri.

“The lap was good. I had about four cars in the last corner, which didn’t help, but it was enough. So, very happy with the job I’ve done and excited for tomorrow now.

“I wasn’t thrilled to be the primary automotive on observe however I had fairly a giant hole on the run earlier than anyway, so it wasn’t truly that a lot completely different for me.

Norris had nice tempo till Q3 when he didn’t make the identical soar in efficiency as his rivals on the crunch time. McLaren group principal Andrea Stella revealed Norris was shedding out in “a couple of corners”.

Mercedes gambled through the use of the medium tyres for Russell’s final run as the brand new C6 delicate tyre, which is getting used for the primary time on a race weekend, was struggling to carry its efficiency.

It paid off and dealt one other blow to Norris, who can have the Spanish pair of Alonso and Sainz to take care of on the long term all the way down to the primary chicane.

Tsunoda walks away from scary flip

The large second from Qualifying got here in Q1 when Tsunoda crashed at high-speed going into Flip 5, hitting the barrier exhausting and flipping his Crimson Bull over.

Tsunoda managed to stroll away from what is among the largest accidents in current F1 historical past and can begin the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on the again.

Sky Sports activities F1’s Emilia Romagna GP Schedule

Sunday Might 18
7.25am: F3 Function Race
8.55am: F2 Function Race
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Emilia Romagna GP build-up
2pm: The EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag: Emilia Romagna GP response
5pm: Ted’s Pocket book

*Additionally stay on Sky Sports activities Essential Occasion

F1’s European season begins with the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday with lights out at 2pm, stay on Sky Sports activities F1. Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime