The Ferrari driver, Charles Leclerc, emerged as the fastest in the free practice session of the 2024 Formula 1 race in Imola, while the normally dominant Red Bull team once again faced difficulties. Despite their recent defeat in Miami, it was expected that the more traditional Imola circuit and the weekend format would bring Red Bull back to their usual form. However, during the one-hour practice session, Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez failed to make it into the top three. Perez finished in fourth, just 0.007 seconds ahead of Verstappen. Verstappen, although the fastest in certain sectors, struggled with grip and had a critical moment entering the Variante Gresini, narrowly avoiding a major accident. Ferrari, on the other hand, had a strong start on their home turf, with Leclerc securing the top spot, closely followed by Mercedes’ George Russell. Lewis Hamilton, however, had a confusing session with multiple incidents resulting in him finishing seventh. Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda impressed with his performance, finishing just four tenths behind the leader. McLaren and Williams faced their own challenges, with McLaren cars finishing in eighth and ninth place, and Williams driver Alex Albon experiencing car issues that led to a red flag. Other drivers, such as Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, and Zhou Guanyu, complained about bumps on the track. Haas’ test substitute Oliver Bearman performed well, despite an accident in the Formula 2 practice earlier in the day. Bearman’s regular teammate Nico Hulkenberg did not set a representative lap time, as it was his first session in Imola.
