SuperMax pushes the limits, even beating McLaren’s Ferrari
The updates may have worked, but they were not enough against the absolute master of Formula 1, Verstappen. Not even against McLaren. No points were scored on Saturday, but today represents a bad blow for Ferrari, who arrived at the race track named after Enzo and Dino, aiming for pole position. However, he is always at the front, a seventh consecutive pole position for Max Verstappen – he has achieved them all this season – eight in a row considering the last position in 2023. Behind him McLaren brings Piastri and Norris, a reality of continued growth. The chase for Leclerc and Sainz is no longer just one. This is bad news for those who dreamed of repeating Melbourne’s success on home soil.
Another record It equals From SuperMax, Ayrton Senna is remembered here because he deserves thirty years after his death in Tamburello. This time even Verstappen gets excited (“I’m happy, I feel adrenaline: it was a beautiful pole and I didn’t expect it”) and shouts. He already did that on Friday by berating the technicians and the team after horrific free practices in which he made a barrage of mistakes: “Nothing works.” Then what changed? “We made some small changes and I found confidence, and I felt he was getting better every lap.” But it is he who makes the difference. Just look at Perez’s disastrous Saturday, outside the top ten, where he was beaten even by his Racing Bulls cousins (Tsunoda 7th and Ricciardo 9th), and we can see the fruits of the excellent work of team manager Laurent Mekes, former Ferrari).
When the level went up, Leclerc and Sainz couldn’t fightKing Up: Some small mistakes, and doubts in the first sector, but there is something missing from this red. “We don’t understand what,” admits the miserable Charles. Perhaps the truth is that the others have evolved further, with McLaren bringing updates to Miami where Norris triumphed. The problem is that you can’t overtake at Imola, Max has won the last two editions: in 2021 he beat Hamilton at the start, and in 2022 he dominated pole position. Therefore, Ferrari must be perfect to get on the podium, act strategically, and take advantage of the safety car entry (which is a given). Staying outside the top three would be a heavy defeat. The signs of tire deterioration were not as good as those emerging from McLaren, which is considering the idea of a double after its success in Florida. Sainz said it from the beginning: “This path is right for them.”
The other disappointment today is future Ferrari driver Hamilton: he consistently trails Russell and even by a large margin, and this time he is also overtaken by Tsunoda, the Japanese who swept away mud from last year’s flood. Very polite and powerful, Faenza wants to keep him close. A dark day for another former world champion: Alonso finally starts. He destroyed the Aston Martin in an off-track accident in the third free practice and they fixed it at the last second. He’s out again and will start second to last.
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