Breaking: Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen beaten as shock re…read more
Shock Leader Emerges as Red Flag Halts FP1 Early at Imola Grand Prix — Hamilton and Verstappen Outpaced
A dramatic start to the Imola Grand Prix weekend saw a surprise name top the timesheets in Free Practice 1 (FP1), as both Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen were beaten by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. The Australian led the session before a late red flag brought an abrupt end to proceedings.
Piastri posted an impressive time of 1:16.545, narrowly edging out his teammate Lando Norris by just 0.032 seconds. The McLaren duo reaffirmed the team’s recent strong form, particularly after their dominant showing at previous races. Carlos Sainz, driving for Williams, continued his resurgence by setting the third fastest time, just 0.052 seconds off the pace. George Russell followed closely in fourth for Mercedes, just two-thousandths of a second behind Sainz.
Hamilton, meanwhile, endured a difficult session in his Ferrari. The seven-time world champion reported brake issues over team radio, stating, “The car doesn’t want to stop.” Despite these problems, he managed to recover and finish fifth, marginally ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. Verstappen, who has dominated much of the current season, could only manage seventh in his Red Bull, 0.360 seconds adrift of the leading time. The session marked another uncharacteristic struggle for the reigning world champion.
Further down the field, Williams’ Alex Albon and both Kick Sauber drivers—Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg—rounded out the top 10. Bortoleto was at the center of a dramatic moment late in the session when he lost control at Rivazza 1. His Sauber snapped over the kerb and slid into the gravel, triggering a red flag that cut the session short. Despite the crash, the rookie impressed by holding on to ninth place.
Alpine had a notable FP1, not only for Gasly’s solid performance but also for the return of Franco Colapinto. The Argentine driver filled in for Jack Doohan and will remain with the team for the next five Grand Prix weekends. Despite finishing 17th, Colapinto gained valuable experience in the seat.
Alpine’s strong session came after a significant shake-up in the team’s leadership, with team principal Oliver Oakes departing during the break between races. Still, the squad appeared to maintain stability on track.
Other notable results included Charles Leclerc’s underwhelming P12 finish, trailing his Ferrari teammate Hamilton by over four-tenths of a second. Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli, who continues to impress in limited track time, slotted into 13th. Aston Martin duo Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso ended the session in 11th and 14th respectively.
The rest of the field included Racing Bulls drivers Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar, who struggled in 15th and 19th positions, while Haas pair Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon closed out the timesheets.
With mixed results among the title contenders and McLaren clearly leading the way in FP1, the Imola Grand Prix weekend is already shaping up to be full of surprises. All eyes now turn to FP2, where drivers will aim to fine-tune their setups and close the gap before Saturday’s qualifying session.
