2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

Emilia Romagna GP: Game on as McLaren and Ferrari challenge Red Bull for top spot in FP3.
Under sustained pressure for the first time this season, Red Bull’s troubles continued in final practice at Imola with McLaren 1-2 ahead of the Ferrari team-mates.
18 May 2024 12:36 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen was P6 while his team-mate Sergio Perez crashed and brought out the red flags. In near-perfect conditions at the Imola circuit, Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari’s Tifosi even more to smile about as the five-time Grand Prix winner, in his upgraded SF-24, went quickest at the start of FP3 with a 1:16.2.

Challenged by the flying Max Verstappen, who shrugged off his Friday woes, the Ferrari went quicker still with a 1:16.0 to sit three-tenths ahead of the Red Bull driver.

Sainz replaced his team-mate up in P1 with a 1:16.067 as Verstappen, having made a brief stop in the pits as he shrugged off his Friday troubles, left the pits in his RB20. But his second run was curtailed as Fernando Alonso rear-ended the barrier at the final corner.

‘McLaren 1-2 ahead of the Ferrari team-mates’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/emilia...lifying-report


Emilia Romagna GP: Free Practice 3 Results
Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.
18 May 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 14 1:15.529

2 4 Lando Norris McLaren 14 1:15.829 0.300

3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 21 1:16.067 0.538

4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 19 1:16.087 0.558

5 63 George Russell Mercedes 15 1:16.095 0.566

6 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 21 1:16.366 0.837

7 23 Alex Albon Williams 13 1:16.470 0.941

8 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 18 1:16.481 0.952

9 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 23 1:16.543 1.014

10 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 14 1:16.547 1.018

‘Full results from Free Practice 3’;

https://speedcafe.com/emilia-romagna...ice-3-results/


2024 Emilia Romagna GP FP3: Alonso crashes to bring out red flags in final practice
18 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

The final practice session for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was halted after 25 minutes when Fernando Alonso crashed his Aston Martin into the barriers after a spin at Rivazza.

‘Halted after 25 minutes’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/20...89635696012685


2024 Emilia Romagna GP FP3: Perez hits the wall to trigger second red flag of the hour
18 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Sergio Perez was pushing hard on the soft tyres in the final stages of third practice at Imola when he took too much kerb at the Variante Alta chicane and hit the barriers, triggering a second red flag.

‘Second red flag of the hour’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/20...90935995338076


Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 3 Results
Can Max Verstappen and Red Bull fix their issues experienced in FP1 and FP2 yesterday?
May 18, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Oscar Piastri leads teammate Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz as Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez crash out of the final practice session of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. FP1 and FP2 saw reigning champions Max Verstappen and Red Bull struggle. The Dutchman finished fifth in FP1 and seventh in FP2 – not being happy with the balance of his RB20.

Meanwhile, Ferrari looks to have found more pace with its upgrades brought to their home race in Imola this weekend. Alongside the Scuderia, McLaren are also looking quick from the first two practice sessions. The big question that will be asked before FP3 today will be whether Verstappen and Red Bull can iron out their issues yesterday. The team only has one hour of running before set-ups are locked for qualifying in Parc Ferme conditions.

‘F1 Free Practice 3 Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/em...ice-3-results/


F1 2024 Emilia Romagna GP – Practice 3 Results
Ferrari had dominated FP1 and FP2 but received a major shock in FP3 as McLaren found themselves right in the mix in Imola
18 May 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso both crashed out of the final practice session just before qualifying to thrust the grid into a world of unknowns by preventing anyone from setting their final laps as Oscar Piastri topped Free Practice 3 on Saturday.

Red Bull haven’t appeared to be at the races all weekend and that form continued as Max Verstappen and Perez couldn’t find the lap time needed to beat Ferrari and McLaren, who are poised for a golden opportunity to take their second wins of the season at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola.

‘Ferrari received a major shock in FP3’

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...ice-3-results/

[Fortitude]

“We were tow buddies” - How Nico Hulkenberg helped Max Verstappen to pole at Imola.
Nico Hulkenberg revealed that he and Max Verstappen were working together by giving each other a tow in F1 qualifying for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
18 May 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Speaking to Sky Sports after qualifying, Hulkenberg said he decided to “return the favour” to Verstappen after the Dutchman helped him out in Q2. “Max and I… we’ve been helping each other out this qualy,” he said. “He helped me a few times in Q2 and I returned the favour here. So yeah, you need support from colleagues sometimes don’t you?”

Giving his side of the story, Verstappen described the situation as “two buddies” conceding he did benefit from Hulkenberg’s tow down to Turn 1. “We were tow buddies out there,” he added. “Q2 already and Q3. I gave him a two through 17 and he gave me a tow through Turn 1 and Turn 2.”

“I think I did arrive a bit too quick for my liking, because I did miss Turn 2 a little bit. So I did gain, I did lose a bit in two. Overall I think it did help me a little bit. But when struggling all weekend you have to take all these little advantages to try and stay ahead.”

“Tow buddies”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104866...pen-pole-imola


Emilia Romagna GP: Qualifying Results
Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.
18 May 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:15.762 1:15.176 1:14.746

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:15.940 1:15.407 1:14.820 0.074

3 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:15.915 1:15.371 1:14.837 0.091

4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:15.823 1:15.328 1:14.970 0.224

5 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:16.015 1:15.512 1:15.233 0.487

6 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:16.107 1:15.671 1:15.234 0.488

7 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 1:15.894 1:15.358 1:15.465 0.719

8 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:16.604 1:15.677 1:15.504 0.758

9 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 1:16.060 1:15.691 1:15.674 0.928

10 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 1:15.841 1:15.569 1:15.980 1.234

‘Full results from Qualifying’;

https://speedcafe.com/emilia-romagna...fying-results/


Verstappen matches Senna's record of eight straight pole positions at track where F1 great died
18 May 2024
Auto Racing
TSN

IMOLA, Italy (AP) — On a weekend commemorating Ayrton Senna, Max Verstappen matched the late Brazilian's record for consecutive pole positions in Formula 1 at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Verstappen made it eight in a row — seven this year — when his Red Bull topped qualifying on Saturday, just ahead of the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Miami GP winner Lando Norris.

“It’s 30 years since he passed away, so it is very special, and I am very pleased to get pole, and in a way it’s a nice memory to him,” Verstappen said. “He was an incredible F1 driver, especially in qualifying. A great day for me, a great day for the team. I’m very, very happy.”

‘Verstappen matches Senna's record’;

https://www.tsn.ca/auto-racing/max-v...died-1.2122683


F1 - 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix - Post-Qualifying Press Conference Transcript
18.05.24
FIA (Press Release)

Q: Max, pole position. Incredible performance. Tell me, please, how you could pull off a performance like this? The atmosphere was amazing, but everyone was pushing for the Ferrari driveras. But you, with a difficult Friday, you could pull off an unbelievable lap. Talk us through your lap, please?
Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah, really difficult weekend so far, even this morning. So I'm incredibly happy to be on pole here. I didn't expect that, but we made some final changes before qualifying. They seemed to make it feel a bit better. I could push a bit harder. And this track is unbelievable. One a qualifying lap, you know, to be on the limit here, close to the gravel… I touched the gravel in the last corner. Yeah, I'm still pumping. The adrenaline is very, very high.

Q: And in second position, great performance from Oscar Piastri. Oscar, how was your quali? Because it seems like you were struggling a bit, and then you became a bit more performant in the first try in Q3, and then in the last try, you were up there. You are going to start in first row. How was your lap?
Oscar PIASTRI: Yeah, pretty good. A little bit of a scruffy last corner, but I think around here it's so, so difficult to do a perfect lap, so I'm really happy. I've been really comfortable with the car from the moment we put it on track yesterday, and so, so close to pole, but very happy. It's been a little while since I've been back up here, so I'm very happy with how this weekend's going so far.

Q: Lando Norris. Well done, mate. You're just a fresh winner in Formula 1. Great qualifying today. All the grandstands and the people were cheering a bit for you because you are so great in Formula 1. How was your lap? How was your quali?
Lando NORRIS: Thanks. Yeah, great. I mean, P3 is not a bad job at all, and yeah, within a tenth, both of us for P1. So, tiny, tiny margins, but I think for us as a team, we've had a very good day, a very good weekend so far. Oscar's done a great job, and so did Max, so it’s exciting. We're close, and I can't wait for tomorrow.

‘Post-Qualifying Press Conference Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-emi...nce-transcript


Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix: F1 Qualifying Results
More Italian sunshine greeted fans at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari for today's Formula 1 Qualifying session
18 May 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Here's what Max had to say on his "hard-earned" pole position �� pic.twitter.com/LFeKAeKrnC
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 18, 2024

FP1: P5
FP2: P7
FP3: P6
QUALIFYING: P1
A champion's performance when it mattered ��#F1 #ImolaGP pic.twitter.com/ftUsS76Fwn
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 18, 2024

‘Italian sunshine greeted fans’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/em...fying-results/


F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying Results
Max Verstappen of Red Bull was fastest in Qualifying for the 2024 Emilia Romagna GP at Imola and will start from pole position
18 May 2024
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen pulled a special lap out of his Red Bull to take pole position for the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola and was just 0.074s ahead of McLaren driver Oscar Piastri. Here are the full results from Qualifying at Imola.

After looking the team to beat all weekend, Ferrari fell at the final hurdle with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz only able to finish fourth and fifth, behind the Red Bull and both McLaren cars.

Piastri‘s stellar lap earned him a front-row start, edging out his McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who will begin the race from third, pending a post-session stewards’ investigation for allegedly impeding Kevin Magnussen’s Haas during the session.

‘Ferrari fell at the final hurdle’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...fying-results/

[Fortitude]

Verstappen 'lucky' after finding Imola 'tow buddy'.
Max Verstappen has been described as "a little bit lucky" in securing a 'tow buddy' to secure the three-time F1 champion a historic pole position at Imola.
19 May 2024, 7:25AM
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Would Max Verstappen have secured pole position at Imola without a tow from his 'buddy'? By the end of qualifying, Verstappen had been pushed closer than in any other session this season by a rival driver. It was in stark contrast to many where he has finished a comfortable two-or three-tenths of a second quicker. As to whether dominating qualifying or being given a stern test of his one-lap credentials was satisfying, there was only one answer.

"I would rather qualify eight-tenths ahead, but that's not possible," said Verstappen, before highlighting what Red Bull managed to achieve given the performance of his car on Friday. It is very enjoyable when you have a turnaround like we had. So I was really excited in qualifying, and really happy when I heard that we were on pole. It was great that it was that close and that we really, really had to fight for it.”

“But I still come back to the first point. I would rather qualify with a lot in front! That's how it goes, right? I guess sometimes you have weekends where everything really comes together and then the car becomes unbelievable to drive, and it doesn't matter what you do, it just feels fantastic, and you can do some really special laps, which have happened in the past. But this was also really cool."

'Tow buddy';

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...mola-tow-buddy


Lando Norris tears apart ‘bit stupid’ Max Verstappen Imola struggle theory
18 May 2024 7:46 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Lando Norris believes anyone counting Max Verstappen and Red Bull out at Imola was “a bit stupid” after the Dutchman maintained his 100 per cent pole position record. At first, the signs were not positive for Red Bull, Verstappen failing to feature in the top three through practice with “terrible” – as he put it – short and long run performance.

His fortunes made a complete U-turn for qualifying though, where Verstappen topped all three sessions to claim pole, even if McLaren were keeping him on his toes, both Oscar Piastri and Norris getting within a tenth of his pole lap.

And while Norris believes a “good race” could be on the horizon for McLaren at Imola, he bluntly said that anyone who had expected Verstappen to be down and out is “a bit stupid”.

“A bit stupid”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-...struggle-imola


Ferrari drivers disagree on theories for shock Red Bull Imola GP qualifying pace leap
18 May 2024 7:03 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were split on the reasons behind Red Bull’s surprise pace jump in Emilia Romagna Grand Prix qualifying after Max Verstappen claimed pole position at Imola.

Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher after the session, Sainz claimed it was dangerous to look too deeply into the practice results given Red Bull‘s habit of running lower engine settings on Fridays.

Leclerc shared Sainz’s view that Ferrari are struggling in Sector 1 at Imola and admitted that Red Bull’s resurgence had taken the team by surprise. But the Monegasque offered a contrasting theory that Red Bull were running with a heavy fuel load during Friday’s running, which masked the RB20’s true pace.

‘Split on the reasons’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrar...ualifying-pace


Mark Hughes: The three drivers crucial to Verstappen's bounceback
May 18, 2024
by Mark Hughes
The Race

Did Sebastien Buemi secure Max Verstappen this pole? Or was it Nico Hulkenberg? For sure, Verstappen himself deserves much of the credit for delivering in a car which may not actually have been the fastest, for once. But those two friends of his definitely played their part.

This was a special pole not because of how dominant it was, but because of how dramatic a turnaround it represented after Verstappen had struggled with the car’s balance throughout the three practices. It wasn’t that the formidable-looking McLaren and Ferrari challenge had faltered either. Both those teams were significantly quicker in qualifying than at any other stage of the weekend.

It was just that Verstappen and the team had found more. But exactly what is the team’s role in situations like this? “The unsung heroes are the 60 people working back at base – and the sim driver, in this case Buemi, putting in the long hard hours,” Christian Horner tells The Race.

“The unsung heroes”;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/v...mi-hulkenberg/


Horner after pole in Imola: 'You can tell how much it meant to Max'
18 May 2024
Julien Lemmen
Verstappen.nl

After a rough start of the weekend for Oracle Red Bull Racing during free practice in Imola, Max Verstappen eventually took pole position in a thrilling qualifying session. Team principal Christian Horner reflects after qualifying:

"It was an outstanding Saturday here in Imola, especially after we struggled yesterday. The team did a really good job overnight, with Seb Buemi, Jake Dennis and everyone in Milton Keynes working into the early hours on the simulator, and we kept improving the car as we saw the results of in Q3.”

“Max had to deliver and he really pulled it out of the bag with a great performance, and you can tell how much it meant to him to be on pole today. That’s 8 poles in a row, equalling the great Ayrton Senna and doing it here in Imola making it all the more poignant. All to play for tomorrow as we head into race day in Imola."

'You can tell how much it meant to Max';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5466/


‘It all just came together’ – Verstappen thrilled to take pole after struggles in practice
18:57 Sat, 18 May 2024.
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Max Verstappen was on the back foot throughout all three practice sessions in Imola, but after hard work by him and his Red Bull crew they managed to get the car right for qualifying – and he duly delivered pole.

‘It all just came together’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/it...07039319780741


“…So I gave him the finger” – Verstappen, Norris and Piastri recount bizarre shared Imola F1 fan tale
The top three in Imola qualifying for the 2024 Emilia Romagna GP all remembered one mystery F1 fan
18 May 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen revealed he’d flipped off an Imola fan in qualifying for the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix with McLaren‘s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris adding they’d also noticed the rogue spectator but for contrasting reasons. Piastri and Norris provisionally qualified second and third within a tenth of the pole-sitting Dutchman, but while the Australian’s account echoed that of Verstappen, Formula 1‘s reigning grand prix winner explained he’d received support from the mystery fan.

That prompted Piastri to jokingly ask whether Norris has signed for Ferrari, with the Scuderia certainly the home favourites even away from the unmatched frenzy of Monza. “It’s been great and actually, I had a funny story in qualifying where we were driving in the pits,” Verstappen told select members of the press, including Total-Motorsport.com.

“A lot of people were clapping, then one guy was doing some different things to me so I gave him the finger, and then the next time I came around, he was clapping. So they learn you know? It’s easy to be not nice drivers, but I can also be not nice to, luckily he was a bit higher up but it’s good after that – I guess he appreciated it.”

“…So I gave him the finger”;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/so-...a-f1-fan-tale/


F1 starting grid: What is the grid order for the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola?
18 May 2024 4:02 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Piastri was handed a three-place penalty after the session for impeding Kevin Magnussen’s Haas in Q1, putting him down to fifth and promoting Lando Norris – the winner of the last race in Miami – to P2 ahead of the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix grid
1. Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2. Lando Norris, McLaren
3. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
4. Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
5. Oscar Piastri, McLaren
6. George Russell, Mercedes
7. Yuki Tsunoda, RB
8. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
9. Daniel Ricciardo, RB
10. Nico Hulkenberg, Haas

‘Grid order’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-sta...and-prix-imola