\n<\/p>\n
Red Bull\u2019s Max Verstappen beat McLaren\u2019s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in a tight battle for pole position at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.<\/b><\/p>\n
Verstappen was just 0.074 seconds quicker than Piastri, who pipped Norris by 0.017secs with the final lap of the session.<\/p>\n
Ferrari\u2019s Charles Leclerc was fourth, 0.224secs behind Verstappen, but 0.263secs quicker than team-mate Carlos Sainz who is right behind him.<\/p>\n
Mercedes\u2019 George Russell took sixth ahead of RB\u2019s Yuki Tsunoda and the second Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton.<\/p>\n
It was Verstappen\u2019s eighth pole position in a row, matching the all-time record set by Ayrton Senna across the 1988 and 1989 seasons, 30 years after the great Brazilian was killed on this circuit at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.<\/p>\n
But it came as a surprise, because Red Bull had appeared to be struggling all weekend – and his team-mate Sergio Perez could qualify only 11th.<\/p>\n
Verstappen said: \u201cReally difficult weekend so far, even this morning, so incredibly happy to be on pole. I didn\u2019t expect that. We made some changes before qualifying and it seemed to feel a bit better and this track is unbelievable.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be so fast, so close to the gravel. I touched the gravel a little on my final lap. I\u2019m still pumping. The adrenaline is incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n