P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Red Bull continued to look off its game in the second Friday practice session at Imola, as Charles Leclerc had his upgraded Ferrari go fastest again.
At the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc led the way in his upgraded Ferrari, setting the fastest time in the second practice session, highlighting Red Bull’s struggles. Max Verstappen, the reigning world champion and current points leader, was only seventh-fastest, expressing frustration with his car’s handling during qualifying simulations. Despite Sergio Perez showing promising long-run pace, Verstappen struggled to match competitors’ lap times and had multiple off-track excursions throughout the day. Leclerc’s dominance continued, with Oscar Piastri and Yuki Tsunoda also impressing in the midfield, while McLaren’s Lando Norris showed strong potential despite a gravel incident. The session ended with Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and George Russell rounding out the top five, as Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg and Fernando Alonso from Aston Martin completed the top 10 behind the struggling Red Bulls.