Verstappen out to match at Imola old 31-year record in F1

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Max Verstappen is gunning for his fifth F1 win of 2024 at this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, but the Red Bull charger is also out to match a 31-year-old record currently held by F1 legend Alain Prost.

Verstappen’s track record in qualifying this season is unblemished, with the Dutchman securing pole at every single of the six events held to date.

But if the 58-time Grand Prix winner heads Saturday’s shootout at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, his streak of seven pole positions in a single season would match the run achieved by Prost with Williams in 1993, which remains the best-ever start to any F1 campaign in history.

While last year’s race at Imola was cancelled due to the tragic flooding that hit the Emilia Romagna region, the previous two rounds of racing at the venue were both won by Verstappen, with the Red Bull driver leading 124 of the aggregate 126 laps.

Read also: Norris can beat Verstappen, but battles will 'end in tears' - Brown

“Imola is always an iconic track to race at and we are excited to be back again after it was cancelled last year,” commented the championship leader in red Bull’s Emilia Romagna GP preview.

“We have had some great team results here and it is always interesting to race at a really old school track like this, as it is very technical, with some complex combinations of corners and braking zones.

The team in Milton Keynes and trackside have all been working really hard and I have been back at the factory this week working on the sim. It’s nice to be back racing in Europe again too, so we are looking forward to seeing what the weekend brings.”

Earlier this week, Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko revealed that the Milton Keynes-based outfit would be rolling out at Imola an updated RB20, from which he is expecting a boost in performance.

Asked whether he believed that McLaren and Lando Norris were now championship contenders after their win last time out in Miami, Marko replied: “No, I’m not worried, Norris is over 50 points behind.

“We are also bringing an upgrade to Imola that I expect a lot from. But Miami shows that we have to concentrate on sports.”

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.