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Formula 1
Emilia Romagna GP
F1 Imola GP Live Commentary and Updates - Race
Minute-by-minute updates for the 2024 Formula 1 Imola Grand Prix.
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Max Verstappen claimed an eighth consecutive F1 pole position, matching the all-time record held by Ayrton Senna, as Oscar Piastri dropped from the front row to fifth place after picking up a penalty for impeding Kevin Magnussen in qualifying.
That means Miami GP winner Lando Norris joins Verstappen on the front row, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz filling out row two ahead of Piastri.
The Imola GP starts at 2pm BST (3pm local time).
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Norris disrupts an almighty battle between Magnussen and Zhou for 15th as he laps both of them while being chased by Leclerc.
Another move for Perez - easy as you like with DRS past Tsunoda. He goes up into eighth.
The gap to Hamilton is 30 seconds.
The gap to Hamilton is 30 seconds.
Norris is feeling the pressure with a fraught radio message, as Leclerc closes within DRS range. The Ferrari driver is within striking distance of second.
Right down the field, Magnussen and Zhou came oh so close to contact when side-by-side through Villeneuve. That would have flipped the race on its head.
Leclerc is reeling in Norris in the fight for second. He takes half a second out of the McLaren driver on the last lap but he has just been working through lapped traffic.
Perez is flying on his new mediums. First he dispatched Ricciardo and a lap later, he got past Hulkenberg for P9. Tsunoda is only a second ahead now.
Ocon and Alonso were close to each other and the Alpine has come out on top, taking to the outside of Tamburello for 14th.
Verstappen is mirroring Norris on lap times to keep the lead at 6.5s. He's looking after those tyres to ensure he's got enough in hand to make it to the finish. Behind them Leclerc is 2.1s off Norris.
Stroll and Magnussen also complete their mandatory stops as Perez rejoins behind Ricciardo in a battle for 10th and 11th.
Pit stop
That's enough for Red Bull to pull Perez into the pits for his stop.
Hamilton sweeps by Perez with DRS around the outside into the first corner to pick up seventh place on lap 37.
Very edgy defence from Perez into Turn 1 as Hamilton tries to get through with the help of DRS.
The Mercedes is stuck to the back of the Red Bull like a plaster but can't find the speed he needs to get past into Villeneuve. Round two on the way.
The Mercedes is stuck to the back of the Red Bull like a plaster but can't find the speed he needs to get past into Villeneuve. Round two on the way.
Norris is concerned he doesn't have the pace of the Ferraris and Piastri on the hard tyres behind but he is assured by engineer Will Joseph that they are all using their tyres more at this point in the race. Safe to say, Norris is focused on defending second rather than attacking for a second F1 win.
Perez does have Hamilton on his tail in what is the second-closest battle on track.
That goes to Alonso and Ocon over 15th - and they love each other...
That goes to Alonso and Ocon over 15th - and they love each other...
So, as the pitstops shake out, Piastri leapfrogged Sainz but ignoring the yet-to-stop Perez it is as you were for the frontrunners.
Hamilton has eased his way past Stroll for eighth - the Aston Martin not putting up any fight into the Variante Alta.
Zhou makes his stop just past the halfway point.
Zhou makes his stop just past the halfway point.
Albon's issue has bigger consequences than first appeared. His only set of hards for the race were damaged in the pitstop that saw him released in an unsafe condition. It means he has made a fourth stop and can only use mediums or softs to the end.
Russell darts by Perez to move up to sixth with the aid of DRS. At the front, Verstappen's lead has grown to 6.6s over Norris.
Quote
"Oscar, degradation on all cars looks higher than expected but we think this is plan B and not plan C," Piastri is told over team radio. So both Ferrari and McLaren believe in plan B.
Stroll is up in eighth, Magnussen 10th and Zhou 11th - but all three are yet to stop.
With DRS, Sainz gets by Perez up the inside into Tamburello to move into fifth, but he's a whopping 6.4s off Piastri.
Rolling roadblock Perez is now Sainz's problem. He needs to get by the Mexican and then chase after Piastri after losing a place to the McLaren driver in the pitstops.
TV replays catch what happened to Hamilton earlier. He locked up into Acque Minerali and ran wide over the gravel. His car appears OK but he has lost touch with team-mate Russell.
The moves from Tsunoda and Hulkenberg were quite outstanding. Sargeant got mugged around the outside at both Tamburello and Villeneuve. Wow!
Pit stop
Sainz pits from first place and is followed in by Hamilton at the end of lap 27. Sainz comes out in sixth, behind Piastri, while Hamilton comes out in ninth.
Tsunoda and Hulkenberg have both cleared Sargeant's Williams now - and the RB has moved out of DRS danger.
Hamilton has gone off at Acque Minerali, as the TV pictures pick up the Mercedes driver with dirty tyres. He's continuing for now.
It's a 1m19.9 from Piastri, who sets the fastest lap of the race. That puts Sainz in trouble when he pits.
Pit stop
Leclerc enjoys just one lap in the lead and he pits, like everyone else swapping mediums for hards, and he comes out in sixth behind Verstappen, Norris and Perez.
Piastri is flying and has made his way through Stroll with DRS assistance. Huge laps from the Australian.
Tsunoda is still stuck behind Sargeant and that is really hurting his chances as Hulkenberg closes in.
Pit stop
Verstappen pits from the lead at the end of lap 24, to release Leclerc into the lead. The Red Bull driver comes out in fourth place with a 4.8s gap to Norris behind. Norris's lap behind Perez has cost him dearly.
Pit stop
Piastri is the next to pit a lap after Norris so he cycles back in the order. Elsewhere, Verstappen has been shown the black and white flag for track limits, so any more and he'll get a time penalty.
Russell has made his way past Ocon - crucial for him but he won't make up any positions through this cycle.
Probably not, as Norris comes out behind Perez and that'll hold up the McLaren driver.
Pit stop
At the end of lap 22 Norris pits - which was when I expected Verstappen to come in - so is McLaren's strategy one that can eat into the gap to the leader?
Penalty
From bad to worse for Albon - the unsafe release earlier earns a 10-second stop/go penalty.
Russell has come back out behind Ocon. If Tsunoda's quest behind Sargeant is anything to go by, this could be painful for the Mercedes driver.
Pit stop
Russell pits from sixth at the end of lap 21, swapping his mediums for hards, and away he goes. Expect lots of others to head in now.
Since his off, Perez hasn't found any time back towards Hamilton, or indeed Tsunoda and Hulkenberg, who have already stopped.
By: Autosport Staff
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