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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).
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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.
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.
Stroll goes sixth in the Aston Martin but is instantly demoted by Gasly and Ocon. Sainz is next to cross the line...
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.
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.
Hamilton immediately goes faster with a 1m16.197, whilst Albon goes third for Williams.
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.
Mercedes has the track to itself as Hamilton asks "where is everyone?"
Both drivers are on used tyres.
Both drivers are on used tyres.
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.
Lights green
After a brief break, the light turns green for Q2!
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.
Magnussen's gulf to Hulkenberg can be described by apparent impeding by Piastri at Tamburello. That has been noted by the stewards.
Checkered flag
Bottas will be 16th on the grid, Sargeant 17th, Zhou 18th, Magnussen only 19th and Alonso last.
Leclerc goes to second, still on the mediums and, with Bottas having crossed the line, Hamilton survives a scare by just 0.022s.
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.
Stopwatch
What a lap from Hulkenberg as he goes fastest with a 1m15.851!
Sargeant is next and just sneaks into 14th. That's instantly beaten by Bottas.
Alonso pits, he is out of qualifying. Zhou is next across the line but can go only 16th.
A lot of improvement across the pack through sector one as the timing screens light up. Get ready for the pack to shuffle...
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.
It's not a great first sector from the Williams driver but a PB helps in sector two.
That's enough for 12th fastest by the end of the lap, demoting Magnussen to the elimination zone.
That's enough for 12th fastest by the end of the lap, demoting Magnussen to the elimination zone.
Just Albon on track with 4:30 left on the clock. He sits 19th currently after his error on his first run.
It has been a scruffy day for Alonso, who has found himself in the gravel again!
This time it's a mistake on the exit of Tamburello, but unlike earlier, he avoids contact with the barriers.
This time it's a mistake on the exit of Tamburello, but unlike earlier, he avoids contact with the barriers.
Stopwatch
Piastri has been knocked off top-spot by team-mate Norris, who is now just 0.025s faster.
Gasly has just set the fastest middle sector of anyone to go fourth fastest, splitting the Ferraris, which just crossed the line on another medium run.
Hamilton goes only 12th with his latest try, as Sargeant runs into the gravel at Villeneuve.
Hamilton goes only 12th with his latest try, as Sargeant runs into the gravel at Villeneuve.
Six drivers are yet to set a time so far, make that five as Russell crosses the line to go third.
Tsunoda's strong practice form is represented as he goes fifth, while Stroll goes seventh.
Tsunoda's strong practice form is represented as he goes fifth, while Stroll goes seventh.
Stopwatch
And Piastri is the first driver into the 1m15s, just 0.073s up on Verstappen.
Next up is Piastri. He didn't have the full upgrade package in Miami but has shown he has the pace with fastest in FP3.
Stopwatch
Indeed, Verstappen goes fastest with a 1m16.013.
Perez is next across the line and slots into second, two-tenths down on Norris.
Verstappen is way faster than his team-mate though...
Verstappen is way faster than his team-mate though...
Stopwatch
Albon was on a stunner to start his qualifying session but the Williams driver ran wide at Rivazza 2 and ruins his effort.
Norris had a huge swap of oversteer at the same corner but goes fastest with a 1m16.194.
Norris had a huge swap of oversteer at the same corner but goes fastest with a 1m16.194.
Quote
"The team has worked tirelessly to repair Fernando’s AMR24 and we are pleased to confirm that he will be able to take part in this afternoon’s Qualifying session."
Alonso is on track for Aston Martin.
Alonso is on track for Aston Martin.
So Ocon sits top early on from Hamilton and Stroll. Sainz is not as fast as the Frenchman on his medium run but Leclerc is flying.
Sainz goes fourth, Leclerc goes fastest!
Sainz goes fourth, Leclerc goes fastest!
Russell boxes straight away at the end of his first flying lap - that's intriguing.
Hamilton was on softs, as the computer updates, and goes second, behind Ocon's early effort.
Hamilton was on softs, as the computer updates, and goes second, behind Ocon's early effort.
The Ferraris waited for a gap before leaving the pits, with both drivers on mediums.
Both Mercedes drivers are also on the yellow-walled tyres.
Both Mercedes drivers are also on the yellow-walled tyres.
There were a number of near misses at the end of FP3 when the track got busy.
How will the drivers stay out of the way of each other here?
How will the drivers stay out of the way of each other here?
Lights green
Here we go, qualifying is underway with Q1.
The Alpine duo lead the queue of cars out.
The Alpine duo lead the queue of cars out.
Alonso is sat in his car but there is still work to do to get the car track ready.
The grandstands are a sea of red as cars begin to fire up. Wonder who they are supporting...
By: Autosport Staff
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