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Formula 1 Emilia Romagna GP

F1 Emilia Romagna GP Live Commentary and Updates - Race day

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12

Live Standings

Stopped

Summary

    • Max Verstappen wins the F1 Emilia Romagna GP
    • Hamilton came P2 with Norris in third
    • Vettel retires with a gear box issue
    • Tsunoda handed five second penalty for track limits
    • Race restarted from a rolling start after it was red flagged after Bottas and Russell crashed out

  • Leaderboard
    1. Verstappen, Red Bull
    2. Hamilton, Mercedes
    3. Norris, McLaren
    4. Leclerc, Ferrari
    5. Sainz, Ferrari
    6. Ricciardo, McLaren
    7. Stroll, Aston Martin
    8. Gasly, AlphaTauri
    9. Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo
    10. Ocon, Alpine

Live Text

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Hello everyone, and welcome to our Live feed for the Emilia Romagna GP! We'll be underway at Imola in about 30 minutes' time.
Rain
First things first: it's wet out there. There's a few dry patches - but there's also plenty of puddles.
Off track
Secondly, Alonso's gone off at Tosa on the way to the grid. He broke his front wing, so Alpine has had to stick a spare on the Spanish driver's car.
Thirdly, Bottas has had a puncture on the way to the grid. If it had to be anyone...Valtteri's a regular at Halfords these days.
And FOURTHLY, because there's a lot of action going on, Aston Martin have had to sort a brake fix after Lance Stroll's brakes caught fire. Engineer Brad Joyce has told him to "drive fast to put it out".
There was a big ol' hole in Stroll's rear-right brake drum that's not supposed to be there, so Aston have had to fit a new one quicker than a Kwik-Fit fitter.
Let's hope Imola's not delivered all of its goodies on the recon laps to the grid - save some madness for the race, eh?
The teams have got the gazebos out, it'd look like Glastonbury if it didn't have such a dim view of them...speaking from experience.
Anyway, here's the grid situation - we've got Hamilton pole, from Perez, Verstappen, Leclerc, Gasly, Ricciardo and Norris. Bottas is eighth, from Ocon and Stroll.
Rain
The risk of rain is apparently 80%, even though it's like, raining now. I guess.
Apparently it's still dry at the back of the circuit - so, anyone gonna brave a set of dry tyres?
Both Astons are still being worked on, and time is ticking by. Not an ideal situation for the green team...
 
Rain
The sky appears to be clearing up a bit - whether we'll get more rain later on is anyone's guess.
 
Breaking news
Everyone begins on inters, except Gasly, Ocon, Schumacher and Mazepin - who are on wets.
Mechanical problem

Sebastian Vettel will be starting this race from the pitlane as his car wasn't ready in time for the formation lap.

Green flag
The formation lap is now underway.
Rain
The start line looks pretty dry, but the opening corners do seem to be wetter than an otter's pocket.
Charles, you lucky boy! He's had a spin at Acque Minerali, but managed to fish his Ferrari out of the gravel.

Vettel radios he had a brake-by-wire failure but he is at the pitlane exit for the start of the race.

Lights out
And the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is away - let's go!
Hamilton gets pincered by the Red Bulls at the start - Verstappen gets down the inside at Tamburello and leaves Hamilton to leap over the kerb! The lead is Verstappen's!
Hamilton lost a bit of front wing there, as Leclerc is now up to third ahead of Perez!
Crash

Latifi has spun off at Acque Minerali, just as Sainz goes wide ahead of him on the opening lap, but Latifi rejoins and moments later makes contact with Mazepin! The Williams driver is out!

Safety car
We have a safety car for Latifi's crash.
Quote
Hamilton reports the car "doesn't feel great", and has a slightly broken front wing endplate.
Crash

After rejoining the track following his spin, Latifi appeared to pull in front of Mazepin who hit the rear of the Williams driver. That sent Latifi into the wall and out of this race.

"We're expecting these conditions for the next 10 minutes," Verstappen is told.
Ricciardo got up to fifth during that opening lap, moving ahead of Gasly.

Elsewhere in the carnage of the first lap, Ocon pitted with damage, while Vettel has also pitted with a suspected issue which caused him to start from the pitlane.

Crash

Oh! Schumacher has done a Russell at Imola! Trying to get heat into his tyres and weaving on the straight, the German loses control of his Haas and spins into the wall.

Anyone fancy grabbing that Haas front wing, or are we just leaving it there?
Yellow flag

Schumacher manages to get going again, minus his front wing which came off in the bash with the wall. But worse is to follow, as the pitlane is closed due to his own debris at the pitlane exit so he can't even pit for a new front wing yet.

Schumacher must be one very few drivers in the history of F1 to need to complete two racing laps without a front wing. The pitlane opens on his second time around and he duly pits.

Perez has his own spot of bother, going a little bit off at Piratella and wandering across the gravel. He gets fourth back - but should he have?
Safety car
Safety car is coming in at the end of this lap.
Off track

Latifi's car has been recovered and Schumacher's front wing has been cleared from the track so we are ready to go racing once again!

Green flag
And we're back underway! Verstappen hits the gas and gets us going once more.

By: Jake Boxall-Legge, Haydn Cobb, Megan White

Published: