Oscar Piastri claimed pole position in a dramatic qualifying session for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola as Lewis Hamilton suffered an early exit in his first home race for Ferrari and Yuki Tsunoda walked away from a major crash.
Piastri delivered a flawless lap when it mattered to beat Max Verstappen's time by just 0.034 seconds, after the Dutchman surged to the top of the charts in pursuit of a third successive pole.
FEATURE: Welcome to Maranello, Ferrari’s hometown where history weighs heavy on F1’s greatest team
Lando Norris could manage only fourth for McLaren - over three tenths off the pole pace - after being edged out at the last by George Russell, who will start from third for Mercedes.
Hamilton had expressed excitement and expectation ahead of his first home race weekend as a Ferrari driver but his Saturday ended in bitter disappointment after he was knocked out in the second part of qualifying.
Follow live updates from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix with The Independent
F1 EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
- The race on Sunday starts at 2pm (BST)
- Oscar Piastri on pole in Imola; Verstappen 2nd; Russell 3rd
- Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in shock Q2 exit
- CRASH! Yuki Tsunoda taken to medical centre after car flips upside-down
- FEATURE: Welcome to Maranello, Ferrari’s hometown where history weighs heavy on F1’s greatest team
When is the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix?
17:55 , Kieran JacksonAll times BST
Sunday 18 May
- Race: 2pm
Lewis Hamilton ‘devastated’ after Ferrari qualifying failure at Imola GP
18:30 , Kieran JacksonLewis Hamilton admitted he was “devastated” after suffering another blow in his first season at Ferrari, who suffered a new low in a captivating qualifying session at the Emilia Romagna GP.
Hamilton, who admitted this week he wasn’t expecting his first season at Ferrari to be so “tough”, and teammate Charles Leclerc missed the opportunity to fight for pole in Imola, with both drivers knocked out of contention in Q2.
The pair will start alongside each other on the grid for Sunday’s race, with Leclerc a place ahead in 11th and Hamilton in 12th.
Full report below:
Lewis Hamilton ‘devastated’ after Ferrari qualifying failure at Imola GP
NEW: Franco Colapinto penalised!
18:06 , Kieran JacksonPrior to his crash, we thought Colapinto entered the fast lane too early - and we were right!
A one-place grid drop - Colapinto will start 16th on the grid on Sunday.
Liam Lawson is promoted to 15th.
Lewis Hamilton after qualifying 12th:
17:45“Tough one, tough one,” said Hamilton, who has only managed one top-five finish in the first six races of the season.
“Ultimately, I feel super gutted, devastated, that we weren’t able to get through. I really feel we’ve made many positive steps over the weekend.
“When we put the new tyres on, we didn’t have any more grip, couldn’t go any faster, everyone else managed to switch on the tyres.
“To be in front of the Italian fans, first time for Ferrari, to not manage to get to Q3 is bittersweet.”
Oscar Piastri after taking pole:
17:20 , Kieran Jackson“A very tough session with all the delays and red flags, and the tyres.
“We got into a nice place for qualifying, I had about four cars in the last corner!”
TOP-10 FOR THE EMILIA ROMAGNA GP
16:55 , Kieran Jackson1. Oscar Piastri
2. Max Verstappen
3. George Russell
4. Lando Norris
5. Fernando Alonso
6. Carlos Sainz
7. Alex Albon
8. Lance Stroll
9. Isack Hadjar
10. Pierre Gasly
Oscar Piastri on team radio:
16:36 , Kieran Jackson“I was going to lose my s*** if that last corner cost me pole! Not the easiest session but nicely done!”
Oscar Piastri takes pole position!
16:35 , Kieran JacksonPiastri has done it!
By just 0.034 seconds to Verstappen, the championship leader will start on pole!
And George Russell beats Lando Norris to P3!
5-10: Alonso, Sainz, Albon, Stroll, Hadjar, Gasly
Who will be on pole?
16:32 , Kieran JacksonAt a track which is difficult for overtaking, this is a big moment!
Can either of the McLarens usurp Verstappen for pole?
Max Verstappen on provisional pole!
16:27 , Kieran JacksonVerstappen in the driving seat after the first laps!
Verstappen is 0.049 secs ahead of Oscar Piastri in second, with Lando Norris a tenth further back.
4-10: Russell, Hadjar, Stroll, Alonso, Sainz, Albon, Gasly
They will all enter the pits... and go again.
Q3 underway!
16:23Here we go then - it’s time for the top-10 shootout with some star drivers missing out!
10 drivers involved: Verstappen, Russell, Norris, Piastri, Alonso, Stroll, Hadjar, Sainz, Gasly, Albon
Incidentally, the medium tyre worked for the Astons in Q2 - will anyone follow suit in Q3!
12 minutes in Q3...
Ferraris out!
16:19 , Kieran JacksonIt wasn’t even that close!
Leclerc missed out by over a tenth, with Hamilton a tenth slower than his teammate!
Lewis Hamilton on team radio:
16:16 , Kieran Jackson“Sorry guys, I can’t improve for some reason.”
It was the Aston Martins of Alonso and Stroll which eliminated the Ferrari pair at the end!
Disappointment for the home fans!
Leclerc: “My god, my god, my god.”
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc out in Q2!
16:15 , Kieran JacksonOh it’s disaster for Ferrari!
Hamilton and Leclerc both out in 11th and 12th!
Kimi Antonelli also out in P13!
Bottom-five and out in Q2 (11-15): Leclerc, Hamilton, Antonelli, Bortoleto, Colapinto
Haas' Ollie Bearman after his Q1 exit:
16:10 , Kieran Jackson“I didn’t see the red flag until I crossed the line, I’m not sure why my lap wasn’t reinstated. It’s a bit strange.”
Pierre Gasly in bottom-five!
16:09 , Kieran JacksonGasly in P12 and is not happy with an Aston Martin ahead at the final corner, who perhaps made his car turbulent.
Gasly: “What’s the name of that smart guy in the Aston? I’ll remember him.”
Threatening stuff!
Current bottom-five (11-15): Stroll, Gasly, Albon, Bortoleto, Colapinto
Antonelli will need to go quicker in P10... 4:00 to go in Q2.
Q2 begins!
15:59 , Kieran JacksonNothing from the FIA on Bearman’s time, but no news is presumably good news for Bortoleto!
The Brazilian headed straight out to the end of the pit-lane and as the green light appears, Bortoleto is straight out on track!
Bearman is out!
FIA UPDATE:
15:55 , Kieran JacksonFIA: “Q2 will start at 16:58.”
Still nothing from the FIA on Bearman though...
WATCH: Colapinto's crash
15:53 , Kieran Jackson"Are you ok buddy?" 📻
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 17, 2025
"Yeah... sorry..." 😔
Glad to hear Franco is ok after his big shunt in Q1 👇 pic.twitter.com/pxSpbaFvm5
Bearman's time still under review
15:53How is it taking this long?!
Bortoleto is the nervous driver watching on, having claimed P15 in Q1.
Still nothing from the FIA...
Ollie Bearman's lap time under review!
15:48 , Kieran JacksonA saving grace for Bearman?!
The 19-year-old is still in the car and it looks as if he may have passed the line before the red flag!
The FIA are reviewing the time.
FIA:
15:44 , Kieran JacksonFurther delay to Q2.
Just while they fix the barrier at Tamburello.
Ollie Bearman out!
15:43Bearman is so unlucky here - he was setting a time to get into the top-15 but the red flag came seconds before the Brit finished his lap!
Bottom-five (16-20) and out in Q1: Lawson, Hulkenberg, Ocon, Bearman, Tsunoda
Ironically, Colapinto was P14 - but obviously won’t take part in Q2...
Colapinto crash!
15:36 , Kieran JacksonColapinto just put a wheel on the grass as he headed towards Tamburello!
It’s another heavy crash, spinning across the gravel and front-on into the barrier!
Franco Colapinto crashes!
15:33 , Kieran JacksonNightmare for the Argentine on his Alpine debut!
He’s in the top-15 but has suffered a heavy crash at the end of Q1!
“I’m OK.”
Ollie Bearman in trouble!
15:30 , Kieran JacksonA few minutes to go in Q1 and Haas’ Ollie Bearman is currently in P18, with Haas teammate Esteban Ocon in 19th!
Current bottom-five (16-20): Hulkenberg, Bortoleto, Bearman, Ocon, Tsunoda
3:00 to go!
VIDEO: Tsunoda's crash
15:23A big hit for Yuki 😧
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 17, 2025
He's out of the car and headed to the medical centre to be checked over ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/6Do2KSnmMj
Q1 resumes!
15:21With 12:13 on the clock, a big queue at the end of the pit-lane as the session resumes.
Franco Colapinto may be in trouble, I think he left his garage a few seconds too early... let’s see.
FIA UPDATE:
15:18FIA: “Estimated resumption at 16:20.”
That’s 3:20pm (BST).
Liam Lawson:
15:17 , Kieran Jackson“Oh my god, I just saw the video,” said Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson, when he saw the crash.
Tsunoda crash!
15:08 , Kieran JacksonTsunoda has walked away OK.
It’s a massive crash - Tsunoda spins coming out of turn 6, across the gravel and the car flips into the catch fencing and barrier!
Gosh. Tsunoda has been taken to the medical centre at the circuit.
Yuki Tsunoda crashes!
15:06 , Kieran JacksonYuki Tsunoda is in the wall!
Hands are on heads in the Red Bull garage! It looks a big crash for the Japanese driver as well!
RED FLAG!
Q1 underway!
15:03 , Kieran JacksonThe Sauber duo of Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto are the first cars out on track as Q1 gets underway!
18 minutes, where we will lose the slowest five drivers from the rest of qualifying!
Qualifying in Imola!
14:59 , Kieran JacksonHere we go then - it’s time for the first European qualifying session of the season!
McLaren are indisputably the favourites - but will it be championship leader Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris who leads the way?
Or, can Max Verstappen provide another Saturday shock?
A Ferrari or Mercedes pole looks unlikely, but Lewis Hamilton will be eyeing improvement in front of the home tifosi!
Can Aston have a much-needed decent qualifying session?
14:48 , Kieran JacksonThe build up to Qualifying.#ImolaGP pic.twitter.com/xFp5wRAkmM
— Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) May 17, 2025
State of play in the drivers' championship heading into qualifying!
14:45 , Kieran Jackson4. George Russell – 93 points
5. Charles Leclerc – 53 points
6. Kimi Antonelli – 48 points
8. Alex Albon – 30 points
9. Esteban Ocon – 14 points
10. Lance Stroll – 14 points
12. Pierre Gasly – 7 points
13. Carlos Sainz – 7 points
14. Nico Hulkenberg – 6 points
15. Ollie Bearman – 6 points
16. Isack Hadjar – 5 points
17. Fernando Alonso – 0 points
18. Liam Lawson – 0 points
19. Jack Doohan – 0 points
20. Gabriel Bortoleto – 0 points
What are the start times this weekend?
14:39 , Kieran JacksonAll times BST
Saturday 17 May
- Qualifying: 3pm
Sunday 18 May
- Race: 2pm
Lando Norris steps away from social media
14:37 , Kieran Jackson“Yeah, I’ve not been on social media for a few weeks now,” Norris said at Imola.
“It’s just not something I enjoy. I don’t need to, it’s my life, I can do what I like.
“I enjoy not going on my phone as much as I used to. I mean, I still use my phone and I am still texting my friends, all these things.
“But I just see social media, from my perspective, more of a waste of my time and energy and I just don’t need that, don’t want it.”
WATCH: Kimi Antonelli's reaction to Lewis Hamilton's message in Mercedes motorhome
14:30 , Kieran JacksonWhen leaving Mercedes last season, Hamilton left a handwritten note for his replacement in the Mercedes motorhome.
At the first European race of the season, the 18-year-old read the private note for the first time!
FEATURE: Welcome to Maranello, Ferrari’s hometown where history weighs heavy on F1’s greatest team
14:10 , Kieran JacksonAhead of Ferrari’s home race in Imola, I spent a day in Maranello, the famous prancing horse emblem at every turn, dissecting the prestige of the Italian marque in contrast to the flaws of the present-day F1 team:
Read below:
Welcome to Maranello, Ferrari’s hometown where their glorious history weighs heavy
Comment: Kimi Antonelli’s F1 ascension appears a masterstroke – have Mercedes found their answer to Max Verstappen?
14:01 , Kieran JacksonAntonelli has already broken records: the youngest driver to score points, after a sumptuous recovery drive from 16th to fourth in the rain in the season opener in Melbourne. And after his surprise pole position for the sprint race at the last round in Miami, he became the youngest driver to record a pole position in any F1 format. At 21, Sebastian Vettel, the previous record holder, was three years older.
Released with exquisite timing, one day after the Miami Grand Prix, Antonelli’s ascension to F1 has been chronicled in a new 45-minute documentary on Netflix, titled The Seat.
Piece:
In ‘special’ 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli, have Mercedes found their Max Verstappen?
