The Batavian, reigning world champion, thus confirms the first place won the day before during qualifying, ahead of Leclerc, his announced rival for the season and current leader of the championship, who will accompany him on the front row on the Enzo circuit and Dino Ferrari from Imola, Italy.

If Verstappen was overtaken from the start of the race by Leclerc, who started second, he managed to regain his rank in extremis on the 20th lap out of 21.

Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), battling Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Briton Lando Norris (c, McLaren), on April 23, 2022 on the Imola circuit, during the qualifying sprint race for the Formula 1 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix MIGUEL MEDINA AFP

As in 2021, the premier category of motorsport is renewing its qualifying sprint race format for three Grands Prix: the classic qualifying contested on Friday thus fixed the starting positions for this sprint race.

Just over 100 km long, covered in about thirty minutes (i.e. 21 laps at Imola), the sprint race determines the starting grid for the GP and also offers a few bonus points in the championship: eight points for the first to one point for 8th.

In the driver standings, Verstappen, 6th before this sprint, goes back to 5th place, with 33 points, ahead of Lewis Hamilton (28), very far from the points on Saturday.

Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull), after winning the qualifying sprint race on April 23, 2022 at the Imola circuit, will start on pole position for the Formula 1 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix ANDREJ ISAKOVIC AFP

Leclerc (78 points) is still well ahead in the drivers' world championship and is now ahead of his Spanish teammate Carlos Sainz Jr (38), Briton George Russell (37) and Mexican Sergio Pérez (36).

Mercedes still far behind

The Mercedes did not manage to catch up with the head of the race.

The day before, his two single-seaters had failed to reach the last part of qualifying (Q3), where pole position is at stake – a first since 2012.

Russell then only snatched the 11th time, Hamilton the 13th in the second part of qualifying (Q2), while only the top 10 qualified for Q3.

On Saturday, the first retained his position of 11th, his teammate, seven-time world champion in the category, demoted him to 14th place.

Briton Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), during the 2nd practice session of the Formula 1 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, April 23, 2022 on the Imola circuit ANDREJ ISAKOVIC AFP

Far ahead of the Silver Arrows, the second row will be occupied by Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), respectively 3rd and 4th on Saturday.

The McLarens of Briton Lando Norris and Australian Daniel Ricciardo will be on the third row, the Alfa Romeo of Finland's Valtteri Bottas, a former Mercedes driver, and the Haas of Dane Kevin Magnussen in the fourth row.

After the rainy day on Friday, it was on a dry track that the drivers competed in this first sprint race of the season, neutralized on the first lap after a collision between the Frenchman Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) and the Chinese Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo).

If the first returned to the pits to repair his car, the second was forced to retire.

Gasly, will start from 17th place on Sunday, behind the other Frenchman, Esteban Ocon (Alpine) 16th.

© 2022 AFP