In a thrilling second free practice session at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri topped the timesheets, narrowly edging out his teammate Lando Norris by a mere 0.025 seconds. The session saw Lewis Hamilton struggling with the brakes of his Ferrari, as he voiced his frustration, slamming the “damn brakes.”
Under the bright Italian sun, all 20 drivers hit the track early on, with Norris initially setting the pace on medium tires. However, it was Piastri who later stole the show with a blistering lap time of 1:15.293 seconds, securing the top spot.
Hamilton’s challenges continued as he grappled with the handling of the Ferrari, nearly spinning at Tamburello and encountering traffic on his fast laps. The seven-time world champion audibly expressed his frustration over the team radio, highlighting his struggles with the new Brembo brakes compared to his previous Carbon Industrie setup at Mercedes.
Meanwhile, young talents like Yuki Tsunoda and Isack Hadjar faced their own obstacles on the track, with Tsunoda briefly climbing to third before the McLarens regained control with their switch to soft tires.
As the session progressed, drivers focused on long runs, honing their race pace for Sunday’s Grand Prix. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc highlighted areas for improvement to his team, while on-track battles and incidents added to the excitement.
Ultimately, it was Piastri who emerged as the fastest in FP2, setting the stage for an intense qualifying session and race day at Imola. With Hamilton’s Ferrari struggles and the McLaren duo showcasing their speed, all eyes will be on the teams and drivers as they vie for glory in Italy.
