Max Verstappen shows bitter frustration as McLaren dominate Imola
The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola is off to an exciting start, with McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris leading the pack in the first practice session. Piastri, the current championship leader, posted a lap time of 1:16.545s, just 0.032s ahead of his teammate Norris. This impressive performance comes after Piastri’s four wins in the first six races of the season.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen, the four-time F1 champion, struggled with his Red Bull, expressing frustration with the car’s rear end. He finished the session seventh on the timesheet, with a lap time of 1:16.905s, almost four-tenths of a second off Piastri’s pace. Verstappen’s struggles were evident when he thumped the steering wheel of his car in frustration late in the session.
The session was marked by several teams introducing their latest upgrade packages, with Aston Martin and Haas opting for back-to-back testing. Mercedes, on the other hand, had its updates on both cars. Williams and Stake were the only teams without upgrades.
Pirelli’s new C6, the softest compound in its range, made its debut in the session. The warm conditions forecast for Saturday are expected to lead to faster lap times, potentially beating Verstappen’s pole lap from last year of 1:14.746s.
Other notable performances came from George Russell, who finished fourth, and Lewis Hamilton, who finished fifth. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly had a surprising incident when he ran over an animal during his session, forcing him to abort a lap.
The session was red-flagged two minutes early when Stake’s Gabriel Bortoleto went off the track and into the gravel. Bortoleto’s performance was impressive despite this mishap, finishing behind Albon and ahead of Nico Hulkenberg.
In other news, there are rumors of a potential challenge to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s re-election bid. Carlos Sainz Sr., a rally legend and father of F1 driver Carlos Sainz Jr., is reportedly considering a run for the presidency ¹ ² ³. This development comes amid controversy surrounding Ben Sulayem’s leadership, including criticism from drivers and team principals.
