Max Verstappen, from Red Bull Racing RB20, took the lead at the start of the race in the Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 7, Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola, Italy, on May 19, 2024. The return of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix to the Imola Circuit did not result in an exciting race, but provided a challenge for all drivers. Verstappen secured his 59th victory in his F1 career, narrowly defeating Lando Norris from McLaren, denying him consecutive wins. While some teams showed improvement, veteran drivers Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez struggled during the weekend. Let’s take a closer look at the highlights and those who are feeling the pressure after the first European leg of the season.
During the practice sessions, Red Bull and Max Verstappen seemed to be at a disadvantage. They couldn’t find the right setup for the RB20, giving rival teams the opportunity to prevent Verstappen from winning for the second consecutive race. McLaren seemed to have the advantage both in qualifying and race pace, but Verstappen’s experience as a three-time world champion proved to be the difference. Despite a tight pole position, Verstappen maintained an early lead and resisted Norris until the end of the race, winning by just seven tenths of a second. Verstappen’s performance turned around Red Bull’s weekend in Imola, but the same cannot be said for his teammate Sergio Perez. Perez crashed during FP3 and lost valuable practice time. He then failed to advance from Q2 and struggled during the race, finishing in eighth place.
A McLaren, coming off a win in Miami, was expected to challenge Red Bull for the victory in Imola. Oscar Piastri outqualified Norris, but a grid penalty for obstruction pushed him down the order. Norris started on the front row and showed good pace, but couldn’t catch Verstappen in the early stages of the race. However, he closed the gap in the final stages and came close to securing a second consecutive win. Piastri was faster than Norris throughout the weekend and could have fought for the win if not for the grid penalty. Despite this setback, it was still a positive weekend for Piastri.
Charles Leclerc benefited from Piastri’s penalty and started third on the grid, giving Ferrari a chance to challenge McLaren for a podium. Despite having the third fastest car in Imola, Leclerc maximized his performance and finished just seven seconds behind Verstappen. Carlos Sainz, on the other hand, struggled to keep up with his teammate and lost position to Piastri during the pit stops.
Lewis Hamilton had a better race day than qualifying, overtaking his teammate George Russell and finishing ahead of him. Russell, who had outperformed Hamilton throughout the weekend, was frustrated to be behind his teammate during the race. However, the team’s strategy to protect his points position led to a second pit stop for Russell, securing a solid result for Mercedes.
Aston Martin’s performance still hadn’t improved in 2024, with Lance Stroll’s 13th place in qualifying being the best they could manage. Stroll managed to score points despite contact on the first lap. Fernando Alonso had a forgettable weekend, with accidents in practice and qualifying, and retiring from the race.
Yuki Tsunoda had a strong home weekend for RB, securing seventh place in the standings. Although disappointed with his result, he recovered well through strategy and earned an important point for the team. Daniel Ricciardo also made it to Q3, but struggled to gain positions during the race.
Nico Hulkenberg had an impressive qualifying session for Haas, unexpectedly advancing to Q3. He maintained his position throughout the race and finished strongly.
However, the Danish driver struggled to move up the grid and finished in a respectable 12th place.
Alpine and Ocon had another impressive performance in qualifying, but the straight-line speed disadvantage made it difficult on race day.
Despite the limitations of the Alpine car, Esteban had a commendable race and held onto 14th place, ahead of his teammate Gasly.
Pierre Gasly showed good pace in Imola, but his qualifying performance was disappointing, resulting in a starting position of 15th place.
Despite a bold two-stop strategy and no safety car interruptions, Gasly was unable to make significant progress in the pack.
Sauber continued to struggle in Imola, with both drivers far behind in qualifying pace. Zhou was two tenths slower than his teammate Bottas.
However, Zhou managed to gain a few positions on Sunday by using a different strategy.
Although Bottas was stronger than Zhou, his weekend was unremarkable. An early pit stop left him vulnerable, and he dropped to 18th place by the end of the race.
Sargeant’s future at Williams is under scrutiny, and his performance in Imola did little to inspire hope.
He was unable to set a valid lap time in qualifying, and with his teammate Albon’s race ending early, Sargeant failed to make an impact for Williams.
Last week, it was announced that Albon would continue at Williams, but he had a tough weekend after the announcement.
An issue on Friday prevented him from participating in FP1, and lack of grip in qualifying resulted in a mid-grid starting position. His race effectively ended at the first pit stop, when a right front wheel was not properly secured.
From there, Sunday became a testing session for Albon before retiring from the race prematurely.
© 2024
Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo made an incredible play in the last championship game. The player scored three goals and helped his team secure the victory. Ronaldo showed his exceptional skill and once again proved why he is considered one of the best players in the world.
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With his impressive performance, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to write his name in the history of soccer. His passion for the sport and his pursuit of excellence are evident in every game he plays. The soccer world eagerly awaits to see what the future holds for this talented player.
