Max Verstappen Laments Narrowly Losing Pole Position to Oscar Piastri at Emilia Romagna GP

Max Verstappen missed out on pole position to Oscar Piastri by a margin of just 0.034s.

Max Verstappen Laments Narrowly Losing Pole Position to Oscar Piastri at Emilia Romagna GP

Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri (via XPB images)

Max Verstappen‘s incessant performance struggles have continued throughout the 2025 season despite Red Bull giving it their all to improve their results. The Dutchman has still managed to remain in contention for the drivers’ title after sitting on the third spot in the standings right behind the two McLarens. Now, Verstappen couldn’t bridge the performance gap to his rivals at the Emilia Romagna GP as he failed to clinch the pole position from Oscar Piastri.

Max Verstappen has remained a strong contender for the race win and pole position at the Emilia Romagna GP in the past. The Dutchman has won all three previous outings on the track since the 2021 season. This time around, Verstappen could only manage to score a front-row start behind McLaren’s Oscar Piastri as he couldn’t lodge a good enough lap in the final run. The 27-year-old narrowly missed out on the pole to Piastri by a margin of just 0.034s.

Red Bull’s performance struggles were evident at the Emilia Romagna GP despite Verstappen managing a front-row start. Yuki Tsunoda even lost the balance of his chassis and suffered a massive crash due to the car’s rear being extremely difficult to handle. Moreover, the Dutchman revealed the underlying issue that caused him not to improve his lap time in his final outing.

Max Verstappen pointed out that the softest compounds were difficult to manage on track as it got away from him towards the end. Regardless, the 27-year-old still has a P2 start and is aiming to give it his all in the main race on Sunday. Verstappen shifts his focus for the race as he moves on from a mediocre outing in the Qualifying sessions. Overall, the reigning world champion labeled Saturday as not a very good day for the team and himself.

I think everything was going very well, but the softest compound – it is hard to keep them alive and they fell away from me. But the race is tomorrow, that is what we have to focus on as I don’t think today was a very good day for us.

Max Verstappen said in a post-qualifying interview

Max Verstappen reveals ‘tricky’ part of racing at Imola

The Emilia Romagna GP, which runs around the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit, is one of the fastest-paced circuits on the calendar. The tires wear out quickly around this track as drivers face problems managing their tires towards the end of their stints. Moreover, Red Bull’s performance struggles meant double the trouble for Max Verstappen as he revealed the most tricky part of handling the circuit.

Yuki Tsunoda and Max Verstappen (via Red Bull)
Yuki Tsunoda and Max Verstappen (via Red Bull)

Verstappen pointed out that everything regarding the chassis performance felt ‘okay’, meaning that the car was performing sub-par at best. Moreover, the 27-year-old claimed that tackling the chicane at the entrance of the turn remained quite tricky for him. Even Tsunoda lost grip at the turn and showcased the worst-case scenario for the Dutchman tomorrow. Now, the reigning world champion needs to remain calm during his approach into Turn 1 against Piastri.

Everything felt quite okay, just that chicane at the entrance, quite tricky.

Max Verstappen said on the team radio

Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri have showcased some of the greatest racing action after sharing the front row on a track. The Emilia Romagna GP will be no different as the two drivers seem equally fierce for the race win. While McLaren has remained the superior car, Verstappen’s racecraft has allowed him to be on par with the Papaya Squad.

Read More: Oscar Piastri Hints He Overcame Disadvantage to Take Emilia Romagna GP Pole