22/04/2022 19:06 CEST
Welcome to Imola! Welcome to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix! After the Free Session 1 passed through water, it is time for the moment of truth. And it is that we are facing the first weekend of the sprint race of the season... And that changes all schedules. We will only have two Free Practice sessions (one today, one tomorrow), while Qualifying is on Friday, the sprint race on Saturday and the traditional race on Sunday.
However, we go in parts. The sprint races change from last year. It is no longer sprint classification, but simply Sprint. In fact, the ‘pole’ will be achieved on Friday in the statistical aspect, the fastest in the traditional style. But it will only be on a statistical level, since the one who wins the sprint on Saturday will start first on Sunday.
The second big change is that the first eight of the race will score (we will see this tomorrow, today is still early…). Whoever wins will add 8, the second 7, the third 6 and so on until the eighth that will add 1. So the Sprint is valid to start first (not for the pole) and it is valid to really add points, It’s like a second race although it probably doesn’t have the podium and the hymns like the one on Sunday so as not to overshadow it.
As for Free Practice 1, Ferrari has set the standard on the wet asphalt of Imola.Leclercthe fastest; Sainz, second. The rest, a world behind. Stay in the fight for the middle zone Fernando Alonsothe best of the Alpine.
The surprise, for now, has been the Haaswho have been placed as 4th and 5th respectively in the first session of Free Practice. Hamiltonat the bottom of the grid, struggling with the settings of his car and very far from Russell.