In a promising development for the Scuderia, it seems that their new upgrade package for the SF-24 at Imola is performing well from the start. George Russell, driving for Mercedes, achieved the second fastest time, although caution is advised considering Mercedes’ recent inconsistent performance. Carlos Sainz, in the other Ferrari, secured the third fastest time, trailing his teammate by 0.130s.
Unfortunately, Red Bull did not have the ideal start they were hoping for, as three-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen struggled with his RB20. Particularly in the middle sector, he had several moments off track, resulting in his fifth fastest time. His teammate, Sergio Perez, fared slightly better, finishing in fourth place in the sister car.
After being absent in 2023 due to devastating floods in the region, Formula 1 is returning to Imola for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in 2024. Lando Norris, arriving in Imola as a Grand Prix winner, will be looking to continue his success. On the other hand, Verstappen will be eager to bounce back after a disappointing performance in Miami. However, he may face a bigger challenge this weekend as Ferrari has introduced a highly upgraded SF-24.
Prior to the race at Imola, Ferrari tested their upgrades at Fiorano during a filming day. The red car showcased several new features, including Red Bull-like sidepods, an updated engine cover, front and rear wings, floor edge, and diffuser.
Red Bull also brought some upgrades to Imola, including a revised rear bodywork for improved cooling. Additionally, they introduced a new front wing, floor edge, floor body, and a modified nose.
A Mercedes, aiming to address issues with their problematic W15, introduced a second round of updates. These updates include a new floor body, floor fences, rear wings, and rear beam, as well as revised front brake ducts for better cooling efficiency.
McLaren will implement a complete update on Piastri’s car for the race in Imola, incorporating revised rear wing and rear beam to optimize drag levels on the track.
Aston Martin is another team with a significant package of updates. Their AMR24 now features a new nose, front wing, floor edge, floor body, floor fences, diffuser, and engine cover. Additionally, they have made revisions to the rear suspension.
Williams made revisions to their floor, reducing its weight, while Alpine focused on improving the floor edge. Sauber also made adjustments to the floor edge, and Haas made changes to the front wing, rear suspension, and winglet layout.
Despite a challenging start to his weekend, Oliver Bearman, a young British driver, will make his return to a Formula 1 car with Haas. He had a major accident in Formula 2 before the start of FP1.
The session began under clear and sunny conditions, with a track temperature of 43 degrees Celsius and an air temperature of 24 degrees.
At the start of the session, drivers opted for a combination of hard and medium tires. Pierre Gasly, driving for Alpine, reported a soft brake pedal in his car.
It is worth noting that Pirelli brought their softest range of tires for this weekend’s race, composed of the C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium), and C5 (Soft) compounds.
For the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, Pirelli has chosen to supply the softest trio of dry tire compounds: C3 as Hard, C4 as Medium, and C5 as Soft. This selection will be tested for the first time on the Italian track.
Shortly after Gasly expressed his dissatisfaction, his teammate Ocon complained about the performance of his Alpine, stating that he experiences significant vibrations on straight sections, causing the car to lift off the ground.
Tsunoda had a tense moment at Rivazza approximately 15 minutes after the start of the session, but managed to skillfully regain control and avoid any mishaps.
Gasly once again expressed his dissatisfaction with his car, this time focusing on the quality of the driving. He stated that the bouncing motion prevents him from maintaining a clear view of the track ahead when driving on straight sections. Zhou also echoed his feelings, comparing the experience to a kangaroo hop.
Hamilton had a moment of his own at Turn 9, going off track and into the gravel.
With 40 minutes remaining in the session, the first red flag of the weekend was raised when Albon, driving for Williams, was forced to park his car at Turn 10 (Acque Minerali) due to a sudden loss of power.
The session was temporarily interrupted when Albon’s car experienced a power failure and stopped at Acque Minerali, leading to the red flag being deployed.
After a brief interruption, the session resumed with 35 minutes remaining, but Albon’s day was cut short as his contract extension with Williams had just been finalized.
Williams provided an update on Albon’s situation, stating that his car shut off after hitting a kerb. The exact cause is still unknown and will be investigated once the car is returned to the team.
Halfway through the session, Leclerc chose to equip his car with soft tires, causing him to rise to the top of the timing sheets, securing a lead of almost half a second over his competitors. However, more drivers soon followed suit and switched to soft tires, with Sainz eventually taking the lead.
Russell had a moment of uncertainty when his car violently hit a kerb, causing it to jump and land back on the track. Fortunately, he managed to keep control.
Bearman also had a moment of instability when he hit a kerb at Turn 14, while Ricciardo found himself stuck in the gravel at Rivazza, but skillfully managed to get back on track.
Hamilton also lost control at Turn 10, with his Mercedes sliding across the track and ending up in the grass on the opposite side. However, he managed to recover and make his way to the pits, although his tires suffered significant damage.
In the Ferrari, Sainz makes a mistake at Variante Alta and ends up cutting through the grass. Sargeant also loses control of his Williams and goes through the gravel at Turn 17. Logan follows suit and cuts through the grass at Turn 14. The Ferraris are definitely pushing their limits! Despite some off-track moments, LEC leads the way in the final 15 minutes of the race. Leclerc regains the lead, while Verstappen heads out on track with a new set of soft tires for a qualifying attempt. However, he encounters a setback when the visor protection gets stuck in the brake air intake, forcing him to return to the pits to remove it. This leaves him in fourth place. Verstappen then reports that his car is struggling at Turn 11, lacking grip. In the final 15 minutes, most teams opt for longer runs using harder tire compounds. However, Verstappen continues his qualifying attempt, but ends up in the grass at Turn 14, forcing him to abandon the attempt. Hamilton also spins, resulting in a brief yellow flag. In the closing moments of the session, Verstappen, still on a qualifying attempt, finds himself in the gravel at Turn 12. He struggles to navigate the middle sector of the track. It seems to be a challenging day for Max so far. Another opportunity for a quick lap slips away as the Red Bull slides through the gravel at Acque Minerali in the final seconds of the session.
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Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen scored an impressive victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday. Verstappen, from the Red Bull Racing team, led the race from the start and crossed the finish line in first place, leaving Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in second place. This win puts Verstappen in an even stronger position to win this year’s world championship.
The race started with Verstappen starting on pole position and maintaining the lead from the first corner. He showed exceptional pace and managed to keep Hamilton behind throughout the race. Despite constant pressure from the Mercedes driver, Verstappen stayed firm and did not make any mistakes.
This victory is especially significant for Verstappen, as it happened in Brazil, a country with a rich history in Formula 1. Brazilian fans were excited and supported the Dutch driver throughout the race. Verstappen expressed his gratitude for the warm reception and promised to continue giving his best in the upcoming races.
With this victory, Verstappen now leads the Formula 1 World Championship, with a comfortable advantage over Hamilton. There are only a few races left in this season, and the battle for the title is intensifying. Fans are eager to see how this rivalry will unfold in the coming weeks.
Overall, the Brazilian Grand Prix was exciting and full of action. The drivers showed skill and determination, providing an incredible sports spectacle for the spectators. The next race promises to be equally thrilling, and fans can’t wait to see who will come out victorious.
