Verstappen to start Sunday's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in pole position

ANKARA

Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen on Saturday won the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix's sprint race to start Sunday's Formula One race in the pole position.

Verstappen finished with 30 minutes and 39.567 seconds in 21 laps on the 4.9-kilometer (3-mile) Imola circuit in Italy.

The 24-year-old passed Ferrari's Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc with two laps remaining.

Leclerc was second on Saturday, finishing the Imola sprint 2.9 seconds behind Verstappen.

Red Bull Racing's Mexican driver Sergio Perez came in third as he was 4.7 seconds behind the sprint race winner.

The 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix will begin at 1300 GMT on Sunday and will be run over 63 laps at the Imola circuit.