Max Verstappen's record breaking pole position at Imola shocks fans, McLaren continues to dominate

In the qualifying session of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix 2024 at Imola circuit, Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen shocked everyone with his terrific speed. In a shocking turn, Verstappen clinched eighth consecutive pole position with fastest lap time of 1:14:746. 

This all came after some troubling performances from Verstappen and Sergio Perez on Friday and Saturday afternoons. With this pole position, Verstappen equalled the record of legendary Ayrton Senna.

Meanwhile, McLaren's duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris clinched second and third positions. Charles Leclerc secured fourth place, leading Carlos Sainz, while Lewis Hamilton settled for eighth for Mercedes. Sergio Perez's setback in Q2 led to an 11th-place start. 

How did Sergio Perez fall out of Q3?

Despite initially looking safe, Perez fell short by 0.015s behind Ricciardo. Red Bull's fortunes shifted as Hulkenberg, Russell, Lewis Hamilton, and Ricciardo improved on their final laps, leaving Perez vulnerable. Ultimately, Sainz's final lap relegated Perez, setting up a tense battle between Perez and Ricciardo for Q3. 

By the slimmest of margins, 0.015s, Ricciardo advanced, joining his teammate in the top 10 shootout after Tsunoda's impressive third-place finish in the segment. Earlier, Q1 fans and experts of the game were stunned after Fernando Alonso finished 20th. Valtteri Bottas finished 16th as he was 0.864 seconds off the leader's pace, followed by Logan Sargeant at +0.969, Guanyu Zhou at +1.072, Kevin Magnussen at +1.092, and Alonso at +1.155. 

Despite their efforts, these drivers failed to advance to Q2. In a standout performance, Nicko Hulkenberg, known as "Mr. Saturday" for his qualifying prowess, secured the third fastest time in Q1, showcasing his exceptional skill in single-lap pace.

Here is the final standings: