BREAKING: Chaos in Imola as Lewis Hamilton suffers in DOUBLE Ferrari E…read more
Imola Grand Prix Qualifying: Drama Unfolds as Hamilton and Both Ferraris Crash Out Early, Piastri Secures Pole
Qualifying at the 2025 Imola Grand Prix was filled with high-stakes drama and major surprises, as both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were eliminated in Q2, delivering a bitter blow to Ferrari at their home circuit.
Aston Martin stole the spotlight with a daring decision to run medium tyres in Q2 — a move that paid off as Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll clinched sixth and seventh on the grid. Their strategy ultimately knocked out both Ferraris in the closing moments of the session, shocking fans at Imola.
At the front of the grid, Oscar Piastri delivered a stunning lap of 1:14.670 to take pole position for McLaren, narrowly beating Max Verstappen by just 0.034 seconds. George Russell claimed third for Mercedes, while Lando Norris settled for fourth after a scrappy final sector.
The session saw two red flags, starting with Yuki Tsunoda’s frightening crash in Q1. Thankfully, he emerged unhurt, but Red Bull faces a race against time to repair his car. Later in Q2, Alpine’s Franco Colapinto brought out another red flag after slamming into the barriers. Though he exited the car without major injuries, he could face a penalty for rejoining the track prematurely before the FIA gave clearance after the earlier stoppage.
Ollie Bearman also saw his Q1 time deleted for crossing the line under red flag conditions — a marginal call that added to the day’s confusion and frustration.
With Ferrari out of the top ten and McLaren celebrating pole, the stage is set for an unpredictable and action-packed race on Sunday.
Imola Grand Prix 2025 – Full Qualifying Results
| Position | Driver | Team | Time/Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:14.670 |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.034s |
| 3 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.137s |
| 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.292s |
| 5 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +0.761s |
| 6 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +0.762s |
| 7 | Alex Albon | Williams | +0.803s |
| 8 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +0.911s |
| 9 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +1.076s |
| 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +1.117s |
| 11 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | OUT IN Q2 |
| 12 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | OUT IN Q2 |
| 13 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | OUT IN Q2 |
| 14 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | OUT IN Q2 |
| 15 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | OUT IN Q2 |
| 16 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | OUT IN Q1 |
| 17 | Nico Hulkenberg | Sauber | OUT IN Q1 |
| 18 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | OUT IN Q1 |
| 19 | Ollie Bearman | Haas | OUT IN Q1 |
| 20 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull | OUT IN Q1 (Crash) |
All eyes now turn to race day, where strategy, recovery drives, and possibly more surprises await.
