P1racenews AI automatic summary:
A one-three for a heavily upgraded Ferrari at Imola but woe for Max Verstappen. What on earth was going on? He was not happy!
Ferrari achieved a one-three finish in the opening practice session of the first of two races held on their home turf this season, showcasing a heavily upgraded car. The Scuderia introduced significant updates, including front wing, rear wing, sidepod inlet, engine cover, floor edge, diffuser, and rear suspension, on both cars at Imola. Charles Leclerc emerged as the standout performer, setting the fastest lap time of 1:16.990s, edging out Mercedes’ George Russell by a tenth of a second, with Carlos Sainz also showing strong pace. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen faced difficulties during the session, struggling with bottoming out and running off track, leaving the team with work to do between sessions to address the car’s issues. The practice session at Emilia Romagna saw teams experimenting with different tire compounds and Russell setting the initial pace before Leclerc, Sainz, and Verstappen asserted their dominance in quick succession, highlighting the competitive nature of the field. Overall, the practice session provided a glimpse into the fierce competition and technical challenges faced by the teams ahead of the race weekend.
