Formula 1 – Emilia Romagna Grand Prix race LIVE: Start time, leaderboard and lap-by-lap updates with Max Verstappen and Lando Norris start on front row following Oscar Piastri penalty

Believe it or not, at the start of qualifying there were expectations that Max Verstappen would not be on pole position!

The Dutchman had struggled in the three practice sessions but set a blistering pace in qualifying to take his eighth pole in a row – a joint record in Formula 1 history alongside the great Ayrton Senna.

However, it was close to the top with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris close behind the two McLarens, but the Australian was given a three-place grid penalty for impeding Kevin Magnussen in Q1, relegating him behind his teammate and the two Ferraris.

It was even more of a disappointment for Mercedes, with George Russell sixth and Lewis Hamilton eighth.

But the two big losers of qualifying were Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso, who crashed during morning practice and could only place themselves 11th and 20th on the grid respectively.

The racing speed of that McLaren is, as Norris showed in Miami, very impressive and something Verstappen will have to be wary of this afternoon.