Live text
Formula 1
Emilia Romagna GP
F1 Imola GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP3 & Qualifying
Saturday'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.
FP3 starts at 11:30am BST (12:30pm local time) followed by qualifying at 3:00pm BST (4:00pm local time).
Live Standings
presented by
Stopped
Summary
11 Days
18 hrs
17 min
58 sec
Full coverage
Check out our full coverage of Miami GP
Live Text
Sort by
Oldest first
Oldest first
Newest first
Cars are back on track with just over two minutes left and all eyes are on Alonso.
But he's already backed out of his lap with a lack of front-end grip.
But he's already backed out of his lap with a lack of front-end grip.
A lot of improvement across the pack through sector one as the timing screens light up. Get ready for the pack to shuffle...
Alonso pits, he is out of qualifying. Zhou is next across the line but can go only 16th.
Sargeant is next and just sneaks into 14th. That's instantly beaten by Bottas.
Stopwatch
What a lap from Hulkenberg as he goes fastest with a 1m15.851!
Perez goes 11th only as team-mate Verstappen crosses the line to go 0.079s faster than Hulkenberg.
Ricciardo jumps to eighth and Tsunoda third as Hamilton drops to 15th.
Ricciardo jumps to eighth and Tsunoda third as Hamilton drops to 15th.
Leclerc goes to second, still on the mediums and, with Bottas having crossed the line, Hamilton survives a scare by just 0.022s.
Checkered flag
Bottas will be 16th on the grid, Sargeant 17th, Zhou 18th, Magnussen only 19th and Alonso last.
Magnussen's gulf to Hulkenberg can be described by apparent impeding by Piastri at Tamburello. That has been noted by the stewards.
A difficult start to the year for Alpine is starting to look slightly sweeter. Both cars are through into Q2, with Gasly only three-tenths adrift of Vertsappen.
Lights green
After a brief break, the light turns green for Q2!
Just to underline Hulkenberg's effort for Haas - he has never driven at Imola in any racing catagory.
Sargeant had his laptime deleted, so will start 20th, behind Alonso.
Sargeant had his laptime deleted, so will start 20th, behind Alonso.
Mercedes has the track to itself as Hamilton asks "where is everyone?"
Both drivers are on used tyres.
Both drivers are on used tyres.
The fastest time in Q1 was in the high 1m15s, Russell's opening gambit here is a 1m16.200. That will tumble with newer tyres.
Hamilton immediately goes faster with a 1m16.197, whilst Albon goes third for Williams.
Stopwatch
Purple and purple for Verstappen on new tyres but he goes wide at Rivazza!
He collects it back up to set the fastest time of the weekend with a 1m15.386, but there is surely time to come.
He collects it back up to set the fastest time of the weekend with a 1m15.386, but there is surely time to come.
Perez is almost half a second down on his team-mate to go second, with Hulkenberg beating the Mercedes duo into third.
Only six laps have been completed so far but every car is on track.
Only six laps have been completed so far but every car is on track.
Stroll goes sixth in the Aston Martin but is instantly demoted by Gasly and Ocon. Sainz is next to cross the line...
Only second for Sainz and some three-tenths down on Verstappen.
Piastri is much closer and goes 0.021s slower than the Red Bull.
Piastri is much closer and goes 0.021s slower than the Red Bull.
Stopwatch
Leclerc goes fastest! The crowd loved that lap - he sets a 1m15.328 to go just 0.030s faster than TSUNODA!
What a lap from the RB driver.
What a lap from the RB driver.
Ricciardo can go only eighth, six-tenths down on his team-mate. Tsunoda is flying!
So a small lull in the action with just over six minutes left on the clock.
Leclerc leads Tsunoda and Verstappen. Russell, Gasly, Ocon, Stroll and Albon are in danger of falling out of qualifying.
Leclerc leads Tsunoda and Verstappen. Russell, Gasly, Ocon, Stroll and Albon are in danger of falling out of qualifying.
Albon is the first to try his hand at a second run and it's a good start.
He is even with Hamilton through the first two sectors but he needs something in the final part of the lap. Only 12th, 0.003s away from Q3 as it stands.
He is even with Hamilton through the first two sectors but he needs something in the final part of the lap. Only 12th, 0.003s away from Q3 as it stands.
2:30 left on the clock and the final efforts are just about to kick into life. Both McLarens are on used softs.
Russell is first up over the line - that's good enough for sixth, with Hamilton slotting into seventh.
Hulkenberg with another scorcher - that's faster than both Mercedes drivers and he goes sixth.
Stroll can manage only 13th.
Stroll can manage only 13th.
Ricciardo goes ninth for now - that pushes Sainz to 10th and Perez to 11th. Nervy times for both...
Sainz goes sixth across the line and Norris up to third.
Perez slides his way through Acque Minerali, can he finish the lap off?
Perez slides his way through Acque Minerali, can he finish the lap off?
Checkered flag
That's time up as Perez roars towards the line - he can't make it!
He misses out by 0.015s to Ricciardo as Verstappen goes fastest with his final lap.
He misses out by 0.015s to Ricciardo as Verstappen goes fastest with his final lap.
That's a huge shock from Perez who, despite the crash in FP3, had looked on pace with Verstappen.
Both Alpines, Stroll and Albon join Perez in elimination.
Both Alpines, Stroll and Albon join Perez in elimination.
Quote
Perez team radio: "What a mess."
To rub salt into Perez's wounds, both RBs made it through, with Tsunoda up in third.
Quote
"I don't know why you sent me on used [tyres] to start with."
Russell is unhappy with the 'unnecessary' pressure applied by Mercedes in Q2.
Russell is unhappy with the 'unnecessary' pressure applied by Mercedes in Q2.
Lights green
Green lights at the end of the pitlane, who will take pole?
Hulkenberg is on used tyres and is the first to start a lap. Verstappen is next to cross the line.
The Red Bull was just flung into the first chicane and there was not a hint of disobedience from the rear end. Incredible.
The track temperature has cooled, is that playing into Red Bull's hands? Verstappen is into Rivazza...
Stopwatch
That's a 1m14.869 to start from Verstappen, with Norris less than a tenth down.
Piastri can't follow those two into the 1m14s and goes third, with Tsunoda fourth and Hulkenberg fifth.
Sainz is only fifth for Ferrari as Leclerc goes third - 0.147s down on Verstappen.
Advantage to the championship leader.
Advantage to the championship leader.
By: Autosport Staff
Published:
Page:
