F1 Shocker at Imola: Hamilton and Verstappen Beaten as R…read more
F1 Shocker at Imola: Hamilton and Verstappen Beaten as Red Flag Halts FP1
The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend kicked off with a dramatic twist as McLaren stole the spotlight in Friday’s first practice session (FP1), leaving both Lewis Hamilton and reigning world champion Max Verstappen trailing behind. A late crash brought the session to an early end, shaking up the leaderboard and giving fans an unexpected preview of what’s to come at Imola.
Oscar Piastri led the field with a blistering lap time of 1:16.545, closely followed by teammate Lando Norris, who was just 0.032 seconds off the pace. Carlos Sainz, now racing for Williams, continued his strong form by clocking the third-fastest time, edging out George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton, now with Ferrari, faced braking issues mid-session and voiced frustration over team radio, saying the “car doesn’t want to stop.” Despite the setback, he recovered to finish P5 ahead of Verstappen, who only managed P7 after a relatively quiet session for Red Bull.
Drama unfolded late in the session when Gabriel Bortoleto spun off at Rivazza 1, triggering a red flag that ultimately ended FP1 early. Still, the Kick Sauber driver impressed with a P9 finish. His teammate Nico Hulkenberg rounded out the top ten.
Alpine’s Franco Colapinto made a notable return, replacing Jack Doohan for at least the next five rounds. He ended the session 17th, while teammate Pierre Gasly showed strong pace in P6, helping Alpine stay competitive despite the recent departure of team principal Oliver Oakes.
Here are the full FP1 results from the 2025 Imola Grand Prix:
Top 10 – FP1, Imola Grand Prix 2025
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 1:16.545
- Lando Norris (McLaren) – +0.032
- Carlos Sainz (Williams) – +0.052
- George Russell (Mercedes) – +0.054
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +0.096
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – +0.151
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +0.360
- Alex Albon (Williams) – +0.377
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber) – +0.380
- Nico Hulkenberg (Kick Sauber) – +0.453
With the reigning champion Verstappen starting the weekend off-form and both McLarens leading the way, the stage is set for a thrilling contest at Imola. Stay tuned as the teams prepare for FP2 and qualifying in what promises to be a high-stakes Grand Prix.
