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Formula 1
Emilia Romagna GP
F1 Imola GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP1 & FP2
Friday's action from the seventh round of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
F1 returns to Imola having cancelled last year's event following extensive flooding in the Emilia-Romagna region.
Teams and drivers will be able to relax somewhat this weekend, with the schedule reverting back to a normal format after two sprint weekends in China and Miami - the latter of which saw a new grand prix winner in McLaren's Lando Norris.
FP1 starts at 12:30am BST (13:30am local time) followed by FP2 at 4:00pm BST (5:00pm local time).
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The Williams just ground to a halt on the run between Piratella and Acque Minerali - it wasn't a driver error.
Still no work to remove the car from its position with the electrical safety light above the car not yet illuminating green.
Still no work to remove the car from its position with the electrical safety light above the car not yet illuminating green.
Red flag
Albon has stopped at the exit of Acque Minerali to bring the red flags out with 40 minutes to go.
Hamilton is still on his original set of mediums, even with Russell in the pits.
Two purple sectors to close the lap put him within a tenth of fastest.
Two purple sectors to close the lap put him within a tenth of fastest.
Bearman is right on pace straight away in the Haas and sits 11th, three seconds up on team-mate Hulkenberg.
Incredibly, the German has never raced at Imola in any series.
Incredibly, the German has never raced at Imola in any series.
A quarter of the way through FP1 and it has been non-stop action. Russell ducks into the 1m17s to stay fastest as Verstappen goes second.
That's nine laps with the soft tyres - an interesting data point for the rest of the weekend.
That's nine laps with the soft tyres - an interesting data point for the rest of the weekend.
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Jake Boxall-Legge at Imola: "We're down at Acque Minerali, the compression down the hill out of Piratella and before the cars ascend again.
"It's clear that Mercedes is running its car low, the car sparking as it grabs the first apex and rattles against the floor. The Ferrari and RB are also kicking up a few sparks, as is the McLaren, but the Merc is a comparative fireworks show."
"It's clear that Mercedes is running its car low, the car sparking as it grabs the first apex and rattles against the floor. The Ferrari and RB are also kicking up a few sparks, as is the McLaren, but the Merc is a comparative fireworks show."
Hamilton has also been into the gravel, this time at Piratella, as team-mate Russell goes fastest again with a 1m18.193. Piastri goes second.
Wow that was close for the RB driver! A wheel dips into the gravel at Rivazza and that is the lap gone. A great save from Tsunoda.
Tsunoda is flying early in this session and he goes purple in sector one on his latest lap. He is still two-tenths up after the middle sector...
Perez is the only other driver on softs and slots into second.
Pirelli has selected the softest tyres in the range it offers for the weekend.
Pirelli has selected the softest tyres in the range it offers for the weekend.
Stopwatch
Hamilton becomes the first driver into the 1m18s, only to be beaten by McLaren's Piastri and then Verstappen.
The Red Bull goes almost four-tenths faster, albeit on softs, with a 1m18.606.
The Red Bull goes almost four-tenths faster, albeit on softs, with a 1m18.606.
I said the times would tumble and they are, quickly. Tsunoda goes fastest for a moment, quickly usurped by Russell.
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Ocon team radio: "The ride on the straight lines is hitting the plank a lot, like I'm jumping, the car is taking off."
Sainz is also on the hards and his second laptime yields improvement - the Spaniard slotting into third.
Hamilton is just 0.005s slower than his team-mate, with Verstappen third.
Leclerc is fourth and the only driver within a second of Russell at the moment, even on the hard tyres.
Leclerc is fourth and the only driver within a second of Russell at the moment, even on the hard tyres.
Stopwatch
That's not as good as the Mercedes duo though as Russell goes fastest on a set of mediums - a 1m19.704. These times will tumble.
A lot of installation laps are being performed at the moment with drivers ducking into the pits, but Verstappen is up to Verstappen things.
A 1m20.085 kicks things off for the Dutchman on a set of softs.
A 1m20.085 kicks things off for the Dutchman on a set of softs.
There are a lot of tributes to Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger, 30 years on from their deaths at this track.
Pierre Gasly is using a beautiful helmet to remember Senna this weekend.
Pierre Gasly is using a beautiful helmet to remember Senna this weekend.
You would be forgiven for believing this was pre-season testing with the size of some of the aero rakes being run.
Norris and Fernando Alonso in particular sporting large structures to measure upgrade data.
Norris and Fernando Alonso in particular sporting large structures to measure upgrade data.
Lights green
The Imola weekend is go!
The cars are at the end of the pitlane ready for the start of the first 60-minute session...
For the weather enthusiasts, there is no chance of rain today so all drivers will be on the dry tyres.
Sunday could see rain, however.
Sunday could see rain, however.
One driver who won't be collecting data is Kevin Magnussen, who has handed his Haas to Oliver Bearman for this session.
The Brit has had a confidence knock, having crashed in F2 practice earlier.
The Brit has had a confidence knock, having crashed in F2 practice earlier.
This first session will be valuable for the teams and drivers, with Imola having last hosted a race two years ago.
Last year's event was cancelled after horrific flooding hit the Emilia-Romagna region.
Last year's event was cancelled after horrific flooding hit the Emilia-Romagna region.
Red Bull's championship leader Max Verstappen will be doubling up his racing duties this weekend. He's set to take part in the virtual Nurburgring 24 Hours!
F1 arrives at Imola with a new winner on the grid in Lando Norris after his victory in Miami.
But a raft of upgrades up and down the grid could further shuffle the pack!
But a raft of upgrades up and down the grid could further shuffle the pack!
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend at Imola.
We are back to a normal weekend format this week, with FP1 and FP2 to come today.
We are back to a normal weekend format this week, with FP1 and FP2 to come today.
By: Autosport Staff
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