Oscar Piastri shines in Emilia-Romagna GP practice as Gabriele Bortoleto brings session to premature halt
Australian Sensation Oscar Piastri Leads McLaren One-Two in Emilia-Romagna GP Practice
Australian sensation Oscar Piastri set the pace during the opening practice session for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, leading a McLaren one-two ahead of teammate Lando Norris in a dominant display on Friday. However, the session came to an early end after rookie Gabriele Bortoleto's crash brought out the red flag with three minutes remaining. Thankfully, the Brazilian emerged unscathed.
McLaren's Commanding Performance
Piastri, who has been in commanding form with victories in four of the last five races, clocked a blistering 1:16.545 on the soft tire compound under clear skies. Norris followed just 0.032 seconds behind, highlighting McLaren's renewed strength as the season enters its European leg.
The 22-year-old championship leader holds a 16-point advantage over Norris after six races in a competitive 24-race calendar that began with stops in Asia, the Middle East, and North America.
Rookie Incident Ends Session Early
The session was brought to an abrupt halt when Bortoleto, driving for Sauber in his rookie season, lost control and collided with the tire barrier. Despite the dramatic incident, the Brazilian rookie walked away unharmed, though his car sustained significant damage.
Top Times Across the Grid
Carlos Sainz impressed with the third-quickest time for Williams, finishing just 0.052 seconds off Piastri’s benchmark. Mercedes’ George Russell was hot on his heels, a mere 0.002 seconds further back in fourth.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who is gearing up for his first race in Italy as a Ferrari driver, secured the fifth-fastest time, just 0.096 seconds off the pace. Ferrari fans had much to cheer for as the legendary marque welcomed the Brit to their stable.
Further down the order, Pierre Gasly of Alpine took sixth, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen settling for an uncharacteristic seventh place. Verstappen, the reigning champion and last year’s winner in Imola, struggled with the setup and radioed his team, “I can't rely on the rear. It feels like I'm drifting everywhere."
Williams’ Alex Albon secured eighth, with Bortoleto’s pre-crash time leaving him ninth. Nico Hulkenberg, Bortoleto’s Sauber teammate, rounded out the top ten.
Notable Mentions
Other notable mentions include Mercedes’ 18-year-old Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli, who made his home debut and clocked the 13th-fastest time. Meanwhile, Franco Colapinto of Argentina marked his Alpine debut with a 17th-place finish after stepping in for the displaced Jack Doohan.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who missed Thursday’s media duties due to illness, managed the 12th quickest lap but endured a challenging session that saw him run wide into the gravel and complain about helmet issues, stating it was "lifting" during high-speed runs.
A Thrilling Weekend Ahead
With McLaren setting the early pace and a mix of surprises throughout the grid, the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix weekend is shaping up to be an exciting chapter of this already-thrilling 2024 Formula 1 season. Fans eagerly await the next session as teams refine their setups for both qualifying and race day.
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