Verstappen matches Senna's record of 8 straight pole positions at track where F1 great died

IMOLA, Italy (AP) — On a weekend commemorating Ayrton Senna, Max Verstappen matched the late Brazilian's record for consecutive pole positions in Formula 1 at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Verstappen made it eight in a row — seven this year — when his Red Bull topped qualifying on Saturday, just ahead of the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Miami GP winner Lando Norris.

However, Piastri was later penalized three grid places for impeding Haas’ Kevin Magnussen in Q1 and dropped to fifth, promoting Norris to the front row of the grid.

Verstappen's streak dates to the last race of last season, drawing the three-time defending champion level with Senna on eight consecutive pole positions.

“It’s 30 years since he passed away, so it is very special, and I am very pleased to get pole, and in a way it’s a nice memory to him,” Verstappen said.

“He was an incredible F1 driver, especially in qualifying. A great day for me, a great day for the team. I’m very, very happy.”

Senna's record has stood for 35 years. His streak ran from the final three races of the 1988 season through the first five of the following year.

Senna died in a crash at Imola during the 1994 race and there was a memorial on Thursday, while there have also been other events at the track to mark the 30-year anniversary of the death of the three-time world champion.

Verstappen looked unlikely to match his record when he struggled during all three practices — with his best position fifth in the second session.

However, no one could match his blistering pace in qualifying — although it was closer than it has been recently. Piastri was just 0.074 seconds behind, with Norris only 0.091 adrift.

“I honestly went into qualifying and I was like, ‘Well, if we can get a top five, I would be happy,’ because this weekend has been really difficult,” Verstappen said. "There was really no reference going into qualifying.

“But, yeah, it felt straight away a lot better. I felt more comfortable. I could attack corners finally a bit more and it all started to come together, and it really came together in Q3.”

There was disappointment for Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio Perez, however, as he surprisingly didn’t make it out of Q2.

“What a mess,” Perez said, after finishing 11th.

Verstappen has won four of the six opening races and Norris said it would be “stupid” for someone to doubt the Dutch driver could turn his car's struggles around for the big occasions.

“I mean, you always try and take advantage of other people’s mistakes and struggles," Norris said. "And I know Max hasn’t had the smoothest weekend, but I think if anyone doubted Red Bull or him coming back and doing a good job in qualifying, they’re a bit stupid.

“So, yeah, we expected them to be back on track. Annoying to miss out to him once again in qualifying but we’re close, and I think we’re happy as a team with how we’ve all performed.”

It had been a good weekend for Ferrari as it appeared to have raised its game in front of its home crowd but Charles Leclerc could qualify only fourth, just ahead of Carlos Sainz Jr. They will line up on the second row of the grid following Piastri's penalty.

Future Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton was eighth, two spots below his Mercedes teammate George Russell, and sandwiched between RB duo Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo.

Fernando Alonso will start in penultimate position following an unusually scrappy day. Even qualifying appeared in doubt after he crashed out of the final practice and sustained significant damage to the rear of his machine.

Only Logan Sargeant will line up behind Alonso after the Williams driver’s best time was deleted for exceeding track limits.

Qualifying was run under dry conditions with similar weather expected on Sunday.

Verstappen leads the F1 standings with 136 points, 33 clear of Perez and 38 clear of Charles Leclerc of Ferrari.

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Red Bull driver Sergio Perez of Mexico gets a pit service during qualifying session for the Italy's Emilia Romagna Formula One Grand Prix at the Dino and Enzo Ferrari racetrack in Imola, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, Pool)

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain steers his car during qualifying session for the Italy's Emilia Romagna Formula One Grand Prix at the Dino and Enzo Ferrari racetrack in Imola, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia sits in his car during the third practice at the Dino and Enzo Ferrari racetrack in Imola, Italy, Imola, Saturday, May 18, 2024. The Italy's Emilia Romagna Formula One Grand Prix will be held on Sunday. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates his pole position after qualifying session for the Italy's Emilia Romagna Formula One Grand Prix at the Dino and Enzo Ferrari racetrack in Imola, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Formula One drivers pay tribute to the late Formula One Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna at the Tamburello turn, at the Dino and Enzo Ferrari racetrack, in Imola, Italy, Thursday, April 16, 2024. The three-time F1 world champion died in a crash at the Imola race track in San Marino. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during qualifying session for the Italy's Emilia Romagna Formula One Grand Prix at the Dino and Enzo Ferrari racetrack in Imola, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, center, poses with McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia, left, and McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain after the qualifying session for the Italy's Emilia Romagna Formula One Grand Prix at the Dino and Enzo Ferrari racetrack in Imola, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car qualifying session for the Italy's Emilia Romagna Formula One Grand Prix at the Dino and Enzo Ferrari racetrack in Imola, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, Pool)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates after winning the pole position after qualifying session for the Italy's Emilia Romagna Formula One Grand Prix at the Dino and Enzo Ferrari racetrack in Imola, Italy, Saturday, May 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

PHOENIX (AP) — A judge on Friday rejected an effort by GOP lawmakers to use the term “unborn human being” to refer to a fetus in the pamphlet that Arizona voters will use to weigh a ballot measure that would expand abortion access in the state.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Christopher Whitten said the wording the legislative council suggested is “packed with emotion and partisan meaning” and asked for what he called more “neutral” language. The measure aims to expand abortion access from 15 weeks to 24 weeks – the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb.

It would allow exemptions to save the woman’s life or to protect her physical or mental health. It would also prevent the state from adopting or enforcing laws that would forbid access to the procedure.

Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma, who is a co-chair of the legislative council, said the group will appeal the court’s decision to the state Supreme Court.

“The ruling is just plain wrong and clearly partisan,” said Toma, a Republican.

Aaron Thacker, communications director for Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, noted that the final decision on the ballot itself remains in the air.

“There’s still a lot of scenarios at play," he said. "Even after the secretary certifies the signatures, the courts have to decide if counties can put it on the ballot or not."

Arizona for Abortion Access, the organization leading the ballot measure campaign, sued the council earlier this month over the suggested language and advocated for the term “fetus,” which the council rejected.

Attorney General Kris Mayes wrote in a motion to submit an amicus brief that “fetus" and “pregnancy” are both neutral terms that the council could adopt.

“It’s incredibly important to us that Arizona voters get to learn more about and weigh our measure in objective and accurate terminology,” said Dawn Penich, communications director for the abortion access group.

Democrats have centered abortion rights in their campaigns in this year’s elections. Organizers in five other states have also proposed similar measures that would codify abortion access in their state constitutions: Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada and South Dakota.

Arizona organizers submitted more than double the amount of signatures needed for the measure to appear on the ballot.

FILE - Arizona abortion-rights supporters deliver over 800,000 petition signatures to the capitol to get abortion rights on the November general election ballot July 3, 2024, in Phoenix. A judge on Friday, July 26, rejected an effort by GOP lawmakers to use the term “unborn human being” to refer to a fetus in the pamphlet that Arizona voters will use to decide on a ballot measure that would expand abortion access in the state. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)