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Verstappen equals Senna at Imola: 'Very special, especially here and now'
- Nicole Mulder
Against all odds - including his own - Max Verstappen managed to secure pole position for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix after all. The Red Bull Racing driver was therefore elated with the result, which he did not envisage after a disappointing Friday.
After qualifying, an overjoyed Verstappen appears at the microphone. "A difficult weekend so far, even this morning. Incredibly happy to be on pole here. I didn't expect that," was the Dutchman's first reaction.
"We made some final changes before Qualifying and they seemed to make it feel better. I could push harder," he explained. ""This track is unbelievable. To be on the limit here in Qualifying, close to the gravel, I touched the gravel in the last corner. The adrenaline is very, very high."
Verstappen finds equalling Senna special
With his pole in Imola, he equalled the record of the legendary Ayrton Senna, the only other Formula 1 driver ever to score eight consecutive poles. "It's a great start to the year and very special. It's 30 years since he passed away, so very pleased to get pole and in a way it's a nice memory to him. He was an incredible F1 driver, especially in Qualifying. A great day for him, a great day for the team. I'm very, very happy," Verstappen said.
This article was written in collaboration with Olly Darcy