McLaren Locks Out Top Spots in Final Practice at Imola, Antonelli Shines
Imola, Italy – McLaren demonstrated formidable pace during the final practice session ahead of qualifying for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, with Lando Norris leading the way. The session provided crucial data for teams as they fine-tune their setups for the critical qualifying hour.
Session Highlights
- Norris on Top: Lando Norris secured P1 with an earlier effort, maintaining a narrow lead of one-tenth of a second over his teammate.
- Piastri’s Improvement: Oscar Piastri improved his lap time to take second place, but it wasn’t enough to unseat Norris.
- Verstappen in Pursuit: Max Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, was the only non-McLaren driver to get within two-tenths of the leading papaya cars, finishing third.
- Antonelli’s Home Boost: Kimi Antonelli, racing in front of his home crowd, delivered an impressive performance to finish fourth, despite appearing to lack pace compared to George Russell earlier in the session.
- Off-Track Excursion: Norris experienced a brief off-track moment, running through the gravel before returning to the pits.
Did you know?
The Imola circuit, officially known as the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, is a historic track with a rich Formula 1 history, having hosted the San Marino Grand Prix for manny years.
Midfield Battle Intensifies
Behind the leading pack, the competition remained fierce. Carlos Sainz Jr. placed his Williams in P6, followed by Hadjar, Russell, Alex Albon, and Lewis Hamilton, who rounded out the top 10. Fernando Alonso, driving for Aston Martin, finished 11th, with the team opting for a different strategy by focusing on gathering data on the hard tires.
Haas’s Ollie Bearman, Lance Stroll, lawson, and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly occupied positions 12th through 15th, respectively.
Bottom of the Grid
Gabriel Bortoleto, who had a crash during Friday’s FP1, finished 16th for Kick Sauber. He was followed by Tsunoda, Franco Colapinto (returning for Alpine), Nico Hulkenberg, and Esteban Ocon, who finished last for Haas.
Pro Tip: Tire Strategy
Teams often use the final practice session to evaluate tire performance and degradation, which is crucial for formulating race strategy. Keep an eye on which compounds teams are using and how long they are lasting.
Looking Ahead to Qualifying
With the final practice session complete, teams will now analyze the data collected to optimize their cars for qualifying, which is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. local time. The qualifying session will determine the starting grid for Sunday’s race.
Expert Analysis
McLaren’s strong performance in practice suggests they will be a force to be reckoned with in qualifying. Though, Verstappen’s pace indicates that Red Bull will also be in contention.the midfield battle is expected to be closely contested, with several teams vying for positions in the top 10.
Quotable Moments
While specific quotes from drivers during the session were not provided, the overall sentiment suggests a high level of competition and strategic planning among the teams. The focus now shifts to maximizing performance in qualifying.
