The Imola Grand Prix in the Formula 1 race saw Max Verstappen starting on Mediums and Checo on Hards. Verstappen led the race with a clean start, while McLaren's Norris and Ferrari's Leclerc followed closely. Sainz reported McLaren's speed, and Piastri aimed for P4. The race witnessed strategic pit stops, with Verstappen extending his lead but facing grip issues later on. Leclerc's strong performance secured Ferrari's podium finish, the first since 2006.
The first Ferrari driver to finish on the podium in Imola since Michael Schumacher in 2006... Charles Leclerc ๐ https://t.co/8ir8zZZhE2
Third place for @Charles_Leclerc gave Ferrari its first Imola podium since Michael Schumacher won the 2006 San Marino GP ๐ ๐ค โค๏ธ #F1 #ImolaGP https://t.co/pWENO2hchK
The first Ferrari driver to finish on the podium in Imola since Michael Schumacher in 2006... Bravo, Charles ๐ https://t.co/0N2OnxOdDv
Lap 62/63 #ImolaGP MAG has DRS on RIC... can he get an extra place? P11 - HULK ๐ฉ๐ช P13 - MAG ๐ฉ๐ฐ #HaasF1
LAP 62/63 "Battery is almost empty!" ๐ป THE GAP IS ONE SINGLE SECOND BETWEEN THEM! #F1 #ImolaGP https://t.co/SuJmzvuwqc
Five laps to go Lewis and George still running P6 and P7 with 13s gaps to the cars ahead for each of them https://t.co/EBNHOZVESM
Lap 59/63. Norris is hunting down Verstappen. The McLaren-driver is only 1,6 seconds behind Verstappen. #ImolaGP
Just 5 laps left in Imola, currently sitting with a podium position for @Charles_Leclerc ๐ช #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น #F1 https://t.co/unk4uooPdT
Lap 57: Gap down to just under two seconds... ๐ซข
LAP 56/63 UNDER. TWO. SECONDS. #F1 #ImolaGP
Let's go Lando! Keep pushing. NOR ๐ฌ๐ง P2 PIA ๐ฆ๐บ P4 [Lap 56/63] #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น
Lap 55/63 Purple lap for George after that recent pit stop and with fresh tyres ๐ฃ
LAP 55/63 IT'S DOWN TO 2.4 SECONDS!!!!!!! #F1 #ImolaGP
LAP 54/63 Verstappen's reminded by the pit wall he's on his final warning for track limits ๐ณ Norris is now 3.5 seconds behind - and PUSHING ๐ #F1 #ImolaGP https://t.co/fBVbtLhny9
GP to Max ๐ป: "Main thing to focus on Max is the gap is less than 5 seconds so we can't afford any track limits." The gap is 3.1s now ๐ #F1 #ImolaGP
Into the final ๐ laps. Max has been told to be careful of track limits as the gap is down to 3.1 seconds... #F1 || #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น
Lap 53/63. Max still leads the race, 4 seconds in front of Norris, with Leclerc in P3. #ImolaGP
LAP 52/63 "My tyres don't work mate." ๐ป Verstappen's losing time - over 2 seconds in a few laps - to Norris, who is now 4.5s behind the Red Bull ๐ #F1 #ImolaGP https://t.co/bLZhH5qytY
Lap 53/63 โBox, boxโ Degradation is higher than forecast so George boxes for Medium tyres and emerges just ahead of Perez
Lap 52: Max is reporting a reduction in grip in his Medium tyres ๐ฌ The gap has gone down to 4.2 seconds โฑ๏ธ #F1 || #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น
Lap 48/63 George now 7s behind Sainz in P6 and Lewis is 5.4s further back in P7 https://t.co/2xDMV3eweC
Lap 48/63 STR on freshers tyres passes HULK, as MAG hunts down ZHO ๐ฎ๐น P11 - HULK ๐ฉ๐ช P16 - MAG ๐ฉ๐ฐ #HaasF1
LAP 48/63 Norris gets some breathing space as Leclerc goes over the grass on the inside of Variante Alta ๐ฒ #F1 #ImolaGP https://t.co/rgH0bd5qhY
Lap 48/63 George now 7s behind Sainz in P6 and Lewis is 5.4s further behind in P7 https://t.co/HTxvayCcqz
Looking to finish strong. Keep pushing, team. NOR ๐ฌ๐ง P2 PIA ๐ฆ๐บ P4 [Lap 49/63] #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น https://t.co/8cmZknP4Ds
LAP 45/63 The grandstands at Imola give a roar ๐ Having shaken Piastri, Leclerc is now the fastest car on track and closes on Norris for P2 ๐ฟ #F1 #ImolaGP https://t.co/CvG3HOXJE9
๐ PIT STOP | #ImolaGP MAG changes his medium tires for a fresh set of white walled hards โช๏ธ P9 - HULK ๐ฉ๐ช P17 - MAG ๐ฉ๐ฐ #HaasF1 https://t.co/Cb7fQZ1wnz
LAP 38/63 Perez's long first stint finally comes to an end! He returns to the fray down in P11, but on the faster Medium tyres. #F1 #ImolaGP https://t.co/f73rQ0sPBF
Lap 38: A 2.1 second stop for Checo who swaps his 38-lap old Hards for Mediums ๐ #F1 || #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น
Lap 34/63 #ImolaGP ZHO dives into the pits allowing HULK to gain a position easily ๐ P10 - MAG ๐ฉ๐ฐ P12 - HULK ๐ฉ๐ช #HaasF1
Lap 32/63 George has now got ahead of Perez and is back to chasing Sainz but the gap has extended to 3.5s while behind the Red Bull Lewis meanwhile has passed Stroll for P8
A good few minutes for the team! ๐ช Oscar pits before Sainz and comes out in front of him after the Ferrari makes its first stop. That, after passing Perez on the earlier lap too. Great work, team OP. ๐ NOR ๐ฌ๐ง P2 PIA ๐ฆ๐บ P4 [Lap 29/63] #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น
Lap 29/63 Sainz has emerged from his stop just ahead of George. Thereโs just 1.3s between the W15 and the Ferrari https://t.co/C3D6EKdDSG
LAP 28/63 Sainz is last of the front-runners to box, handing the lead back to Verstappen. But the Ferrari also comes back out BEHIND Piastri, meaning a switch for P4 ๐ #F1 #ImolaGP https://t.co/WQvrtoolkn
Lap 28/63 Lewis boxes from P2 and switches to the Hard tyre, returning to track in P9 behind Stroll https://t.co/GLaVtxdW8V
LAP 25/63 Verstappen joins both McLarens in pitting, and Leclerc follows the Red Bull a lap later. Sainz leads the race, but is yet to stop. #F1 #ImolaGP https://t.co/pvMTqKuKDc
Yet to pit โก๏ธ LS18 in P8. Weโre almost at half distance and Lance is sat between PIA and RUS in the points paying positions. #ImolaGP https://t.co/yDsQik8NWB
Lap 25/63. Max makes his pitstop. He changes from the medium compound tyres to the hard compound tyres and comes back out in P4, with all the drivers in front still having to make their stop. #ImolaGP
Lap 26/63 Lewis continues on the Medium tyre and is now running P2 on the road as others around him pit He is 6.1s behind Sainz https://t.co/NmwU5x2w4R
Verstappen heads to the ๐ฆ and comes back out in P4 ๐จ Your current leader is the Ferrari of Leclerc! #F1 #ImolaGP https://t.co/m3tnS3gy9g
LAP 24/63 Norris was first among the leaders to box for the Hard tyre, but re-joined behind Perez's Red Bull ๐ No matter, though - Lando sends a lovely move to the inside at Turn 1 to re-claim track position ๐จ #F1 #ImolaGP https://t.co/0Vvk6pOepB
A 2.6 second stop from the pit crew and Max is back on his way, ahead of NOR in P4 on Hard tyres โฑ๏ธ๐ง #F1 || #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น https://t.co/1hp1x7UGd0
And Oscar is in the next lap. He switches to new Hard tyres too. [Lap 24/63] #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น https://t.co/ABuFjSEMqV
Lap 23/63. Norris makes his first pitstop from P2. He comes back out in P7. Max still leads. #ImolaGP
Lando pits first. ๐ Mediums off, Hard tyres on. [Lap 23/63] #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น https://t.co/d4LDpALIZu
Lap 23/63: NOR pits moving Charles into P2 and Carlos to P3 ๐ผ #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น #F1
Lap 22/63 โBox, boxโ George pits for a set of the Hard tyre and returns to track in P10 behind Oconโs Alpine
LAP 18/63 Perez in the gravel! ๐ฌ The Red Bull had been making progress in clean air, but throws it away with an off-track excursion at Rivazza! #F1 #ImolaGP https://t.co/8nOUQFQ6dO
๐ PIT STOP | #ImolaGP HULK ditches his mediums and switches to a set of hard tires โช๏ธ P11 - MAG ๐ฉ๐ฐ P15 - HULK ๐ฉ๐ช https://t.co/rFIcfeJrvV
LAP 14/63 Tsunoda pits from P9 to force Hulkenberg ahead into a stop, and the RB leapfrogs the Haas at the exit! #F1 #ImolaGP https://t.co/wGtLd3Zvpf
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen is 5s ahead of Lando Norris on lap 15 and already planning his #MonacoGP strategy ๐ซก #F1 #ImolaGP https://t.co/7Ij7P3ALRs
Lap 11/63 The battling Sainz and Piastri ahead means George is starting to chip away at the gap which is now 2.1s Lewis is about 1.5s further back and they are moving away from Hulkenberg - who has a train of cars behind him https://t.co/AckHTXeSJ2
Ten laps in! Lance is now P12 with OCO behind. โฌ๏ธ Fernando pits for hard tyres and is back out in P19. ๐ #ImolaGP https://t.co/J3DK1dCy3F
Lap 10: New Fastest Lap for Max who is pulling away ๐ฃ #F1 || #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น https://t.co/HxWpuDszCf
LAP 8/63 "McLaren is fast" reports Sainz ๐ป No kidding! Piastri is within range of the Ferrari and has his sights locked on P4 ๐ฏ #F1 #ImolaGP https://t.co/mPuMfQFIpK
Sainz ๐ป: โMcLaren is fast!โ Piastri is around 0.5s behind the Ferrari in P4 ๐ #F1 #ImolaGP
Settling in. Oscar's eyes on the Ferraris in front. ๐๏ธ NOR ๐ฌ๐ง P2 PIA ๐ฆ๐บ P5 [Lap 8/63] #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น https://t.co/Imrt4O55I8
Settling in. Oscar's eyes on the Ferrari's in front. ๐๏ธ NOR ๐ฌ๐ง P2 PIA ๐ฆ๐บ P5 [Lap 8/63] #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น https://t.co/fCDN7nNzyl
Lap 7/63 HULK & MAG still going strong ๐ P8 - HULK ๐ฉ๐ช P16 - MAG ๐ฉ๐ฐ
LAP 6/63 The lead gap hovers around 1.8s as Norris keeps the pressure on Max ๐ช It's status quo maintained between the top five! #F1 #ImolaGP https://t.co/VPEjA1PQSq
Lap 6: Max was six tenths quicker than NOR on the last lap and has extended the gap to 1.8 seconds ๐ช #F1 || #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น
Lap 4/63 Our W15s running in close proximity with just under one second separating them in P6 and P7 Keeping Piastri in their sights ahead while pulling away from the Haas of Hulkenberg behind https://t.co/89787YyOG9
Lap 1/63 It's a great first lap for HULK & MAG as they both gain places! ๐ช P8 - HULK - Mediums ๐ก P16 - MAG - Mediums ๐ก #HaasF1 #ImolaGP
LIGHTS OUT - LET'S GO RACING IN EUROPE! ๐ข๐ฎ๐น A clean first lap for both cars, however, MAG moves up two places, demoting BOT and ZHO to P17 and P18. #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น
LAP 2/63 Verstappen makes a break for it out front, closely pursued by Norris, Leclerc, Sainz and Piastri. #F1 #ImolaGP https://t.co/i1urVxuYa0
IT'S LIGHTS OUT AND AW... IT'S FOOT TO THE FLOOR! #ImolaGP https://t.co/MXLO6ypgAU
DRS enabled โ Max has broken the one-second gap to Lando behind and Checo is within striking distance of Yuki โฑ๏ธ #F1 || #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น https://t.co/prHMKM1Xu7
It's a clean start for Lando and Oscar as we hold position going into the second lap. NOR ๐ฌ๐ง P2 PIA ๐ฆ๐บ P5 [Lap 2/63] #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น
Weโre racing in Imola! ๐ข Fernando starts from the pitlane on softs, whilst Lance fights in an opening lap battle with OCO. Both still in their starting positions for now! #ImolaGP https://t.co/lGEbi5jJTc
The #ImolaGP is GOOOOOO !!! Max has made a great start from pole and has kept the lead. Norris followes in P2, with Leclerc in P3. Sainz is in 4th place with Piastri in P5.
We're off at Imola! ๐ข Max gets away well, with Lando behind. #ImolaGP https://t.co/OsT0tPicp6
LIGHTS OUT!! We're racing in Imola! ๐ช A nice clean getaway for the Bulls who end Lap 1 in P1 and P10 ๐ #F1 || #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น
LIGHTS OUT! #ImolaGP #F1
๐ข๐ข๐ข๐ข Itโs lights out and away we go in Imola!! ๐คฉ
63 laps coming up ๐ฌ We're on the formation lap with Max starting on Mediums and Checo is on Hards ๐ #F1 || #ImolaGP ๐ฎ๐น