Formula 1 returns to Italy for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at the historic Imola circuit, marking the beginning of a three-race European sequence.
The previous race in Miami saw Oscar Piastri secure his third consecutive victory, extending his championship lead over teammate Lando Norris, who finished in second place and is now 16 points adrift. Max Verstappen is currently 32 points behind Piastri following a challenging Sprint weekend in Miami. However, Red Bull, along with many other teams, is expected to introduce upgrades at Imola, hoping to narrow the performance gap to McLaren.
Ferrari will be competing on home soil, and this race will see Lewis Hamilton make his debut appearance in front of the passionate Tifosi fans, adding to the pressure on the Scuderia. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli will also be racing at his home event after claiming a remarkable Sprint pole position in Miami. Although George Russell achieved a podium finish, Antonelli`s performance appeared more impressive. It will be fascinating to see if he can maintain this upward trajectory.
The Imola Circuit: Home of the Emilia Romagna GP
The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is hosted at Imola, a track renowned for its history and status as one of the most iconic circuits on the F1 calendar. Its traditional layout, featuring grass and gravel traps, presents a genuine challenge for drivers.
Imola rejoined the F1 schedule in 2020 after a 14-year absence, utilizing a revised track configuration that remains in use today.
Qualifying is particularly important at Imola due to the circuit`s tight, fast, and flowing nature, with only one DRS zone located on the long main straight.
Imola Weather Forecast
The current weather prediction for Imola indicates mostly dry and hot conditions, with temperatures expected to be around 27°C throughout the three days. However, there is currently a possibility of rain showers on Sunday, race day.
Emilia Romagna GP: Dates, Schedule, and UK Start Times
- Thursday May 15: Drivers` Press Conference (2pm UK)
- Friday May 16:
- F3 Practice (8:50am)
- F2 Practice (10am)
- F1 Practice One (Session starts 12:30pm UK)
- F3 Qualifying (2pm)
- F2 Qualifying (2:55pm)
- F1 Practice Two (Session starts 4pm UK)
- The F1 Show (5:15pm)
- Saturday May 17:
- F3 Sprint (9am)
- F1 Practice Three (Session starts 11:30am UK)
- F2 Sprint (1:10pm)
- F1 QUALIFYING (3pm UK)
- Ted`s Qualifying Notebook (5pm)
- Sunday May 18:
- F3 Feature Race (7:25am)
- F2 Feature Race (8:55am)
- Grand Prix Sunday build-up (12:30pm UK)
- THE EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX (2pm UK)
- Chequered Flag reaction (4pm)
- Ted`s Notebook (5pm)
Marcus Prine