Imola Grand Prix – Free Practice 1: Charles Leclerc and Ferrari in fine form at home

Here we go! The Formula 1 ball is back in Europe! Drivers are returning to the Imola circuit for the first time since 2022… The 2023 edition was cancelled due to severe flooding severely impacting the region.

This time, the drivers take off under the sun for the first practice session of the weekend with an air temperature rising to 23°. Oliver Bearman is testing the Haas for the first time this season, he will test it a total of 6 times in 2024. Just out of his F2 session, here he is in an F1, Kevin Magnussen’s.

The course of the session.

The drivers do not linger. The vast majority leave the pit lane in the first few minutes of the session.

The 2 Mercedes make a strong impression right from the start! George Russell sets the fastest time on medium tires, 5 thousandths ahead of Lewis Hamilton. More than half of the cars are on track, with the Ferraris on hard tires quickly dropping down the time charts.

Piastri on medium tires sets the best time… immediately beaten by Max Verstappen. The Dutchman, on soft tires, sets a new benchmark time of 1:18.606. The Racing Bulls seem fast: Ricciardo and Tsunoda are in the top 10.

The lap times keep falling… George Russell once again takes the lead of the time sheet. He lowers the reference mark to 1:18.193. The track is constantly improving. A quarter of an hour after the start of the session, only Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso have still not completed a timed lap. Max Verstappen, despite being on soft tires, cannot beat the best time. He falls short by half a tenth of George Russell.

Alexander Albon and a red flag pause the session

Alexander Albon is stopped at turn 11, the car is in a bad position… the red flag is waved! It seems that it could be a power failure: everything has shut down on the Williams driver’s steering wheel. The session stops for about ten minutes. Many drivers, including Pierre Gasly, are complaining about the rebound of their car, the big issue since 2022 and the new regulations.

With just over 30 minutes left in the session, Lando Norris starts his first timed lap. He only sets the twelfth fastest time. Charles Leclerc gets the stands cheering! He completes a decent time on soft tires which still allows him to take the lead. Carlos Sainz immediately beats him by over 3 tenths!

Daniel Ricciardo, victim of a severe understeer, finishes in the gravel trap at Rivazza, the second-to-last corner of the circuit. A few laps later, Lewis Hamilton loses control of his Mercedes on the inner curb at the exit of Acque Minerali. Without consequence: he comes very close, but does not hit the wall.

The last 20 minutes of the session

Most single-seaters are now fitted with soft tires. Russell, clearly very comfortable on this track, sets the fastest time for the 3rd time! Charles Leclerc responds, and is the first to go below one minute and 17 seconds.

Further up the hierarchy, the Alpines are currently 11th and 13th. Niko Hülkenberg and the two Williams are at the back of the grid. Oliver Bearman, increasingly awaited, is sandwiched between the two Alpines.

Max Verstappen, unhappy with his car, cuts through the chicane of turns 14 and 15, arriving way too fast. He abandons his hopes of a better lap time and remains in 5th place. Lewis Hamilton is struggling at the exit of Acque Minerali, he locks up his wheels again, narrowly avoiding going off the track once more.

Max Verstappen tries one last quick lap, he improves in sector 1… and goes off track again! He loses his car in Acque Minerali, he is struggling a lot with understeer in the second sector.

The session is coming to an end, and it’s a Ferrari that has completed the fastest lap: Charles Leclerc in 1:16.990! George Russell and Carlos Sainz complete the podium of this first free practice session. The Ferrari drivers greet the tifosi who must be delighted with this session.

The rest of the day, it starts at 5 p.m. for the FP2.

The ranking of Free Practice 1