Just in:Lewis Hamilton Faces Setback in Imola as McLaren Dom… read more
Lewis Hamilton Faces Setback in Imola as McLaren Dom… read more
Lewis Hamilton’s highly anticipated first Italian Grand Prix as a Ferrari driver has not gone to plan, delivering more frustration than celebration for the seven-time world champion and the loyal tifosi. Saturday’s final practice session ahead of qualifying at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola was far from the fairytale return many had envisioned.
Hamilton struggled to make an impact during FP3, managing only the 10th-fastest time after suffering damage to the floor of his Ferrari. Over team radio, Hamilton reported, “I have floor damage, I ran wide,” referencing a costly mistake coming out of Turn 18 at Rivazza. That incident disrupted his momentum and left the British driver trailing nearly nine-tenths of a second behind the session leader.
Track conditions may have played a role in the mixed performances across the grid. Teams found it difficult to extract pace from the soft tyre compound, with many unable to improve upon times set earlier on medium tyres. This was likely due to overnight changes by Pirelli, who reduced tyre pressures, coupled with a noticeable drop in track temperatures on Saturday morning.
At the front of the field, it was McLaren who set the benchmark. Lando Norris continued his impressive form from Friday, topping the timesheets in FP3 with a lap of 1:14.897. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, was close behind, just 0.100s adrift. The Australian driver once again showed strong pace, reinforcing McLaren’s status as the team to beat this weekend.
Max Verstappen, the reigning four-time world champion, placed third for Red Bull, finishing the session just 0.181s behind Norris. Verstappen has already secured his place in the record books, having clinched his fourth consecutive drivers’ title in 2024, but he remains hungry for more success in 2025.
Mercedes showed signs of progress, with rookie Kimi Antonelli impressively securing fourth spot, only half a second off the pace. His experienced teammate, George Russell, was eighth fastest, continuing Mercedes’ efforts to close the gap to the front-runners. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was fifth, while his former teammate Carlos Sainz, now at Williams, placed sixth.
Another standout was Isack Hadjar, who delivered a solid seventh place for Racing Bulls, ahead of Russell and Williams’ Alex Albon. Hamilton’s damage-limited run rounded out the top ten.
Outside the top ten, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll placed 11th and 13th respectively for Aston Martin, with rookie Ollie Bearman splitting them in 12th for Haas. Liam Lawson, despite a dramatic spin at the high-speed Tamburello chicane, managed 14th. His momentary loss of control shredded his tyres but fortunately did not end in contact with the barriers.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly finished 15th, ahead of Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto in 16th. Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda and Alpine’s Franco Colapinto took 17th and 18th, respectively. Rounding out the session were Nico Hulkenberg (Kick Sauber) and Esteban Ocon (Haas), with Ocon 1.490s off the leading pace.
Despite a chaotic Friday that saw multiple red flags, Saturday’s session ran uninterrupted. Still, the field remains tightly bunched, and qualifying promises high tension and close margins.
As the Emilia-Romagna GP weekend continues, all eyes now turn to qualifying, which begins at 4pm local time (3pm BST) on Saturday, May 17. Fans worldwide will be eager to see if Hamilton can recover from his practice setback, whether McLaren can translate pace into pole, and if Verstappen has another gear to unlock.
The grid is poised for a thrilling session at the historic Imola circuit, with the race weekend already offering plenty
of drama and surprises.
