Are we headed to a different dominant Saturday from McLaren, or will their rivals spring a shock in Formulation 1 qualifying on the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix?
The McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris has led the way in which over all three observe classes. Piastri topped the timing sheets in each FP1 and FP2 — with Norris proper behind him in P2 — whereas it was Norris who was quickest earlier at the moment in FP3, with Piastri behind him in second.
A serious story to look at in at the moment’s qualifying session is the delicate C6 compound, which is getting used for the primary time this season at Imola. Whereas drivers switched from the medium compound to the softs late in FP3, few enhancements have been present in lap occasions. The potential purpose? The delicate tires have been overheating by the top of the lap, reducing grip ranges by way of the ultimate few corners of the circuit.
Which may change how groups method their warmup laps throughout qualifying, which may enhance the site visitors we see throughout Q1.
It might be a chaotic qualifying session, and we can have it coated stay for you right here at SB Nation, from the beginning of Q1 by way of the session.
Right here is the provisional grid, which we’ll fill in as qualifying unfolds at Imola:
Provisional Qualifying Outcomes Emilia Romagna GP
| Row | Place | Driver | Group | Place | Driver | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Row | Place | Driver | Group | Place | Driver | Group |
| Row 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||
| Row 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||
| Row 3 | 5 | 6 | ||||
| Row 4 | 7 | 8 | ||||
| Row 5 | 9 | 10 | ||||
| Row 6 | 11 | 12 | ||||
| Row 7 | 13 | 14 | ||||
| Row 8 | 15 | 16 | Liam Lawson | VCARB | ||
| Row 9 | 17 | Nico Hülkenberg | Sauber | 18 | Esteban Ocon | Haas |
| Row 10 | 19 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 20 | Yuki Tsunoda | Crimson Bull |
Be aware: Updates are all in Jap time.
Q2 qualifying notes
10:53: Race officers report that Q2 will start at 4:58 native time/10:58 Jap time.
Alex Brundle on F1TV now reveals replays that illustrate that Bearman might advance in spite of everything.
10:51: This prolonged delay is permitting some darkish clouds to roll in …
10:49: Each Haas and F1 affirm that Bearman’s last lap is underneath additional evaluation:
10:46: Race officers have once more delayed the beginning of Q2 as they test on the barrier after Colapinto’s crash.
Bearman has but to climb out of the VF-25.
10:44: Q2 will start at 4:46 native time/10:46 Jap.
Q1 qualifying notes
10:43: F1 confirms that Bearman has been eradicated. Bortoleto advances to Q2.
10:42: Replays on F1TV appear to substantiate that the crimson flag was out earlier than Bearman accomplished his lap.
10:38: Jolyon Palmer on F1TV notes that misplaced within the chaos of the top of Q1 is the truth that Lance Stroll jumped to P4 on a set of medium tires.
Sure, Aston Martin introduced an improve package deal to Imola, however the medium compound is likely to be faster than the C6 delicate tires proper now.
Additionally … there may be some climate off within the distance. Extra chaos might be on the horizon, actually and figuratively.
10:35: The beginning of Q2 might be delayed.
That can give us a while to kind out the controversy that’s unfolding at Imola. F1 race officers have deleted Bearman’s time, which drops him all the way down to P19 and promotes Bortoleto into Q2 in P15.
Haas will doubtless argue that he accomplished his lap earlier than Colapinto’s crash, however we’ll see how race stewards deal with this example.
10:34: Colapinto technically advances to Q2 in P15, however his qualifying session is over.
Bearman survives, as he posted a lap that was adequate to maneuver into Q2 simply earlier than Colapinto hit the wall at Flip 4.
10:33: One other huge crash, as Franco Colapinto has discovered the barrier at Flip 4. As issues stand the 5 drivers eradicated are Bortoleto, Lawson, Hülkenberg, Ocon, and Tsunoda.
Colapinto studies that he’s okay as he climbs out of his A525.
10:32: Bortoleto’s last push lap sees him leap into P15, so he has an opportunity to advance into Q2.
His teammate Hülkenberg, nonetheless, discovered the gravel late in his lap and might be out in Q1.
10:30: With two minutes left in Q1 your backside 5 drivers who’re liable to elimination are: Nico Hülkenberg, Gabriel Bortoleto, Oliver Bearman, Esteban Ocon, and Tsunoda, whose crash has introduced an finish to his day.
10:29: Solely three minutes stay in Q1, and the automobiles are popping out for his or her last push laps. Notably Lance Stroll left the storage with a set of C5 medium tires bolten onto his AMR25. Groups have been battling the C6 delicate compound as famous above.
10:28: Occasions are coming in as Q1 continues, and shock shock, Max Verstappen is presently in P1.
Replays on F1TV present a number of drivers, together with Norris, Charles Leclerc, and Fernando Alonso coping with some slides off the racing line and into the gravel.
10:19: The session will resume at 4:20 native time/10:20 Jap. With one minute earlier than the sunshine turns inexperienced, automobiles start to queue up in pit lane.
10:16: The crimson flag remains to be out at Imola after Tsunoda’s shunt.
You’ll be able to see a replay of the incident right here:
10:08: Tsunoda is out of the automotive and walks away from the RB21, and is ready to climb into the medical automotive.
His RB21 has suffered vital harm, and he’s doubtless a pit lane begin tomorrow.
10:06: RED FLAG. Yuki Tsunoda has gone off the road and into the wall arduous, with the impression with the wall flipping his RB21.
10:05: We’ve some early lap occasions in Q1, and in the mean time Alexander Albon is atop the timing sheets.
Excellent time to plug my chat with the Williams driver from earlier within the week.
10:00: We’ve a inexperienced gentle at Imola, and Q1 is underway. 18 minutes are on the clock, and site visitors goes to be an enormous issue as famous above.
Pre-qualifying notes
9:55: McLaren CEO Zak Brown predicts that the highest three in qualifying might be Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and Max Verstappen in some order. Take that for what it’s price.
9:47: In the course of the F1TV pre-qualifying present, Flavio Briatore talks with Lawrence Barretto concerning the swap from Jack Doohan to Franco Colapinto. Briatore brushes apart the concept that Colapinto simply has 5 races within the automotive to show himself at Alpine, stating that how lengthy Colapinto lasts comes all the way down to “efficiency.”
