As we approach the qualifications for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, it is difficult to assess the true form of the teams due to Sergio Perez’s accident during the final practice in Imola. However, it seems that three teams are in contention for pole position, with Red Bull closing the gap since Friday. McLaren showed good pace, with Lando Norris going off track in FP2, but recovering with a one-two result in FP3. Oscar Piastri led the session, setting a lap time half a second faster than the next fastest non-McLaren driver. Unfortunately, Perez’s accident interrupted the qualifying simulation for the leaders, leaving us uncertain about their true performance.
Norris managed to put in a decent lap after the red flag caused by Perez’s accident, securing second place, just three tenths behind Piastri’s best time. Due to traffic and timing issues, the Ferraris and Max Verstappen were unable to set competitive laps. It is not clear how they compare to each other, but Red Bull seems to have made improvements to their car after Verstappen’s difficult Friday. Verstappen and Norris were separated by just a tenth of a second using the medium tire in FP3.
Carlos Sainz also showed an improved performance with the updated Ferrari, setting faster laps than his teammate Charles Leclerc during the first part of the session on soft tires. The two drivers were separated by just 0.020s in the final classification. George Russell managed to place the Mercedes among the top five with a quick lap on soft tires before Perez’s accident. However, both Russell and Lewis Hamilton expressed concerns about the quality of the W15’s handling during FP3. They are more likely to battle against Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull and the Aston Martins in qualifying, rather than challenging the top six.
The performance of Aston Martin is difficult to assess, as both cars started the session on hard tires and Fernando Alonso had an accident before setting a lap on soft tires. Lance Stroll’s lap on the soft compound was decent, but almost a tenth slower than Alex Albon’s Williams and Esteban Ocon’s Alpine at a similar point in the session. Tsunoda showed impressive pace on medium tires, suggesting he could be a contender in the battle for the top ten qualifying positions if his performance remains strong on the softer compound.
The battle to escape Q1 among the second group of five teams, including Williams, Alpine, Haas, and Sauber, seems extremely tight. Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas was less than a tenth off the time set by Albon and Ocon, and Valtteri Bottas’ Sauber was less than a second and a half behind.
