Former F1 world champion left in awe of Max Verstappen’s herculean lap at Imola

Former F1 champion Damon Hill lauded Max Verstappen after his exploits in the qualifying session of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. The Dutchman secured pole position in Imola on Saturday, which is his eighth consecutive pole this season.

While the 2024 season has been easy-going for the Dutch Formula 1 driver, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris both put up an impressive fight, with Piastri finishing a close second (0.074 seconds behind Verstappen) while Norris ended up qualifying in third place (0.017 seconds behind Piastri) respectively.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1, former Formula One world champion Damon Hill shared his thoughts on Max Verstappen's qualifying performance, stating:

"I think that was a very special lap. They were up against it. You could tell from his reaction afterwards that he was relieved and delighted that he got this pole position. But just watching the onboard, that was a fantastic lap."

Verstappen's narrow pole position wasn't his only triumph. He secured his eighth consecutive pole position, tying the all-time record held by the legendary Ayrton Senna. This remarkable achievement was met with admiration, but Verstappen acknowledged in an interview with Formula 1 that:

“It’s been a really difficult weekend so far, even this morning in final practice. I’m incredibly happy to be on pole here, I didn’t expect that."

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Red Bull yet to finalize Max Verstappen's co-driver for 2025 season

F1 Grand Prix of Emilia-Romagna - Qualifying

The 2024 Formula 1 season is undergoing a major driver shuffle. With many seats open, competitive drivers are vying for lucrative contracts that could propel them to victory. As the grid jostles for the best opportunities, Sergio Perez finds himself in a precarious position – currently without a confirmed seat for 2025.

Currently second in the 2024 Formula 1 driver standings with four podiums and 103 points, Perez and his impressive performance are closely followed by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. Leclerc would be looking forward to making a mark at Ferrari's home race on Sunday and bridging the gap further to second place in the driver standings.

Next on the race calendar is the iconic Monaco Grand Prix, a track that is known for pushing its drivers and teams to their limits. Perez eyes another strong showing at the legendary Monaco Grand Prix where he secured a dominant victory for Red Bull in 2022.

When asked about the status of Perez's seat for the 2025 season, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner spoke to ESPN, stating:

"It's his seat to lose, he's very popular in the team, and he's started the season in the best possible way. He just needs to keep doing what he's doing."

In recognition of Verstappen's success during the last few seasons, Red Bull has secured the Dutch driver's commitment to the team until 2028.