2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

Emilia Romagna GP: Game on as McLaren and Ferrari challenge Red Bull for top spot in FP3.
Under sustained pressure for the first time this season, Red Bull’s troubles continued in final practice at Imola with McLaren 1-2 ahead of the Ferrari team-mates.
18 May 2024 12:36 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen was P6 while his team-mate Sergio Perez crashed and brought out the red flags. In near-perfect conditions at the Imola circuit, Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari’s Tifosi even more to smile about as the five-time Grand Prix winner, in his upgraded SF-24, went quickest at the start of FP3 with a 1:16.2.

Challenged by the flying Max Verstappen, who shrugged off his Friday woes, the Ferrari went quicker still with a 1:16.0 to sit three-tenths ahead of the Red Bull driver.

Sainz replaced his team-mate up in P1 with a 1:16.067 as Verstappen, having made a brief stop in the pits as he shrugged off his Friday troubles, left the pits in his RB20. But his second run was curtailed as Fernando Alonso rear-ended the barrier at the final corner.

‘McLaren 1-2 ahead of the Ferrari team-mates’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/emilia...lifying-report


Emilia Romagna GP: Free Practice 3 Results
Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.
18 May 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 14 1:15.529

2 4 Lando Norris McLaren 14 1:15.829 0.300

3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 21 1:16.067 0.538

4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 19 1:16.087 0.558

5 63 George Russell Mercedes 15 1:16.095 0.566

6 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 21 1:16.366 0.837

7 23 Alex Albon Williams 13 1:16.470 0.941

8 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 18 1:16.481 0.952

9 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 23 1:16.543 1.014

10 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 14 1:16.547 1.018

‘Full results from Free Practice 3’;

https://speedcafe.com/emilia-romagna...ice-3-results/


2024 Emilia Romagna GP FP3: Alonso crashes to bring out red flags in final practice
18 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

The final practice session for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was halted after 25 minutes when Fernando Alonso crashed his Aston Martin into the barriers after a spin at Rivazza.

‘Halted after 25 minutes’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/20...89635696012685


2024 Emilia Romagna GP FP3: Perez hits the wall to trigger second red flag of the hour
18 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Sergio Perez was pushing hard on the soft tyres in the final stages of third practice at Imola when he took too much kerb at the Variante Alta chicane and hit the barriers, triggering a second red flag.

‘Second red flag of the hour’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/20...90935995338076


Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 3 Results
Can Max Verstappen and Red Bull fix their issues experienced in FP1 and FP2 yesterday?
May 18, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Oscar Piastri leads teammate Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz as Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez crash out of the final practice session of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. FP1 and FP2 saw reigning champions Max Verstappen and Red Bull struggle. The Dutchman finished fifth in FP1 and seventh in FP2 – not being happy with the balance of his RB20.

Meanwhile, Ferrari looks to have found more pace with its upgrades brought to their home race in Imola this weekend. Alongside the Scuderia, McLaren are also looking quick from the first two practice sessions. The big question that will be asked before FP3 today will be whether Verstappen and Red Bull can iron out their issues yesterday. The team only has one hour of running before set-ups are locked for qualifying in Parc Ferme conditions.

‘F1 Free Practice 3 Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/em...ice-3-results/


F1 2024 Emilia Romagna GP – Practice 3 Results
Ferrari had dominated FP1 and FP2 but received a major shock in FP3 as McLaren found themselves right in the mix in Imola
18 May 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso both crashed out of the final practice session just before qualifying to thrust the grid into a world of unknowns by preventing anyone from setting their final laps as Oscar Piastri topped Free Practice 3 on Saturday.

Red Bull haven’t appeared to be at the races all weekend and that form continued as Max Verstappen and Perez couldn’t find the lap time needed to beat Ferrari and McLaren, who are poised for a golden opportunity to take their second wins of the season at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola.

‘Ferrari received a major shock in FP3’

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...ice-3-results/

[Fortitude]

“We were tow buddies” - How Nico Hulkenberg helped Max Verstappen to pole at Imola.
Nico Hulkenberg revealed that he and Max Verstappen were working together by giving each other a tow in F1 qualifying for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
18 May 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Speaking to Sky Sports after qualifying, Hulkenberg said he decided to “return the favour” to Verstappen after the Dutchman helped him out in Q2. “Max and I… we’ve been helping each other out this qualy,” he said. “He helped me a few times in Q2 and I returned the favour here. So yeah, you need support from colleagues sometimes don’t you?”

Giving his side of the story, Verstappen described the situation as “two buddies” conceding he did benefit from Hulkenberg’s tow down to Turn 1. “We were tow buddies out there,” he added. “Q2 already and Q3. I gave him a two through 17 and he gave me a tow through Turn 1 and Turn 2.”

“I think I did arrive a bit too quick for my liking, because I did miss Turn 2 a little bit. So I did gain, I did lose a bit in two. Overall I think it did help me a little bit. But when struggling all weekend you have to take all these little advantages to try and stay ahead.”

“Tow buddies”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104866...pen-pole-imola


Emilia Romagna GP: Qualifying Results
Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.
18 May 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:15.762 1:15.176 1:14.746

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:15.940 1:15.407 1:14.820 0.074

3 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:15.915 1:15.371 1:14.837 0.091

4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:15.823 1:15.328 1:14.970 0.224

5 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:16.015 1:15.512 1:15.233 0.487

6 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:16.107 1:15.671 1:15.234 0.488

7 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 1:15.894 1:15.358 1:15.465 0.719

8 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:16.604 1:15.677 1:15.504 0.758

9 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 1:16.060 1:15.691 1:15.674 0.928

10 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 1:15.841 1:15.569 1:15.980 1.234

‘Full results from Qualifying’;

https://speedcafe.com/emilia-romagna...fying-results/


Verstappen matches Senna's record of eight straight pole positions at track where F1 great died
18 May 2024
Auto Racing
TSN

IMOLA, Italy (AP) — On a weekend commemorating Ayrton Senna, Max Verstappen matched the late Brazilian's record for consecutive pole positions in Formula 1 at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Verstappen made it eight in a row — seven this year — when his Red Bull topped qualifying on Saturday, just ahead of the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Miami GP winner Lando Norris.

“It’s 30 years since he passed away, so it is very special, and I am very pleased to get pole, and in a way it’s a nice memory to him,” Verstappen said. “He was an incredible F1 driver, especially in qualifying. A great day for me, a great day for the team. I’m very, very happy.”

‘Verstappen matches Senna's record’;

https://www.tsn.ca/auto-racing/max-v...died-1.2122683


F1 - 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix - Post-Qualifying Press Conference Transcript
18.05.24
FIA (Press Release)

Q: Max, pole position. Incredible performance. Tell me, please, how you could pull off a performance like this? The atmosphere was amazing, but everyone was pushing for the Ferrari driveras. But you, with a difficult Friday, you could pull off an unbelievable lap. Talk us through your lap, please?
Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah, really difficult weekend so far, even this morning. So I'm incredibly happy to be on pole here. I didn't expect that, but we made some final changes before qualifying. They seemed to make it feel a bit better. I could push a bit harder. And this track is unbelievable. One a qualifying lap, you know, to be on the limit here, close to the gravel… I touched the gravel in the last corner. Yeah, I'm still pumping. The adrenaline is very, very high.

Q: And in second position, great performance from Oscar Piastri. Oscar, how was your quali? Because it seems like you were struggling a bit, and then you became a bit more performant in the first try in Q3, and then in the last try, you were up there. You are going to start in first row. How was your lap?
Oscar PIASTRI: Yeah, pretty good. A little bit of a scruffy last corner, but I think around here it's so, so difficult to do a perfect lap, so I'm really happy. I've been really comfortable with the car from the moment we put it on track yesterday, and so, so close to pole, but very happy. It's been a little while since I've been back up here, so I'm very happy with how this weekend's going so far.

Q: Lando Norris. Well done, mate. You're just a fresh winner in Formula 1. Great qualifying today. All the grandstands and the people were cheering a bit for you because you are so great in Formula 1. How was your lap? How was your quali?
Lando NORRIS: Thanks. Yeah, great. I mean, P3 is not a bad job at all, and yeah, within a tenth, both of us for P1. So, tiny, tiny margins, but I think for us as a team, we've had a very good day, a very good weekend so far. Oscar's done a great job, and so did Max, so it’s exciting. We're close, and I can't wait for tomorrow.

‘Post-Qualifying Press Conference Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-emi...nce-transcript


Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix: F1 Qualifying Results
More Italian sunshine greeted fans at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari for today's Formula 1 Qualifying session
18 May 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Here's what Max had to say on his "hard-earned" pole position �� pic.twitter.com/LFeKAeKrnC
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 18, 2024

FP1: P5
FP2: P7
FP3: P6
QUALIFYING: P1
A champion's performance when it mattered ��#F1 #ImolaGP pic.twitter.com/ftUsS76Fwn
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 18, 2024

‘Italian sunshine greeted fans’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/em...fying-results/


F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying Results
Max Verstappen of Red Bull was fastest in Qualifying for the 2024 Emilia Romagna GP at Imola and will start from pole position
18 May 2024
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen pulled a special lap out of his Red Bull to take pole position for the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola and was just 0.074s ahead of McLaren driver Oscar Piastri. Here are the full results from Qualifying at Imola.

After looking the team to beat all weekend, Ferrari fell at the final hurdle with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz only able to finish fourth and fifth, behind the Red Bull and both McLaren cars.

Piastri‘s stellar lap earned him a front-row start, edging out his McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who will begin the race from third, pending a post-session stewards’ investigation for allegedly impeding Kevin Magnussen’s Haas during the session.

‘Ferrari fell at the final hurdle’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...fying-results/

[Fortitude]

Verstappen 'lucky' after finding Imola 'tow buddy'.
Max Verstappen has been described as "a little bit lucky" in securing a 'tow buddy' to secure the three-time F1 champion a historic pole position at Imola.
19 May 2024, 7:25AM
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Would Max Verstappen have secured pole position at Imola without a tow from his 'buddy'? By the end of qualifying, Verstappen had been pushed closer than in any other session this season by a rival driver. It was in stark contrast to many where he has finished a comfortable two-or three-tenths of a second quicker. As to whether dominating qualifying or being given a stern test of his one-lap credentials was satisfying, there was only one answer.

"I would rather qualify eight-tenths ahead, but that's not possible," said Verstappen, before highlighting what Red Bull managed to achieve given the performance of his car on Friday. It is very enjoyable when you have a turnaround like we had. So I was really excited in qualifying, and really happy when I heard that we were on pole. It was great that it was that close and that we really, really had to fight for it.”

“But I still come back to the first point. I would rather qualify with a lot in front! That's how it goes, right? I guess sometimes you have weekends where everything really comes together and then the car becomes unbelievable to drive, and it doesn't matter what you do, it just feels fantastic, and you can do some really special laps, which have happened in the past. But this was also really cool."

'Tow buddy';

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...mola-tow-buddy


Lando Norris tears apart ‘bit stupid’ Max Verstappen Imola struggle theory
18 May 2024 7:46 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Lando Norris believes anyone counting Max Verstappen and Red Bull out at Imola was “a bit stupid” after the Dutchman maintained his 100 per cent pole position record. At first, the signs were not positive for Red Bull, Verstappen failing to feature in the top three through practice with “terrible” – as he put it – short and long run performance.

His fortunes made a complete U-turn for qualifying though, where Verstappen topped all three sessions to claim pole, even if McLaren were keeping him on his toes, both Oscar Piastri and Norris getting within a tenth of his pole lap.

And while Norris believes a “good race” could be on the horizon for McLaren at Imola, he bluntly said that anyone who had expected Verstappen to be down and out is “a bit stupid”.

“A bit stupid”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-...struggle-imola


Ferrari drivers disagree on theories for shock Red Bull Imola GP qualifying pace leap
18 May 2024 7:03 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were split on the reasons behind Red Bull’s surprise pace jump in Emilia Romagna Grand Prix qualifying after Max Verstappen claimed pole position at Imola.

Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher after the session, Sainz claimed it was dangerous to look too deeply into the practice results given Red Bull‘s habit of running lower engine settings on Fridays.

Leclerc shared Sainz’s view that Ferrari are struggling in Sector 1 at Imola and admitted that Red Bull’s resurgence had taken the team by surprise. But the Monegasque offered a contrasting theory that Red Bull were running with a heavy fuel load during Friday’s running, which masked the RB20’s true pace.

‘Split on the reasons’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrar...ualifying-pace


Mark Hughes: The three drivers crucial to Verstappen's bounceback
May 18, 2024
by Mark Hughes
The Race

Did Sebastien Buemi secure Max Verstappen this pole? Or was it Nico Hulkenberg? For sure, Verstappen himself deserves much of the credit for delivering in a car which may not actually have been the fastest, for once. But those two friends of his definitely played their part.

This was a special pole not because of how dominant it was, but because of how dramatic a turnaround it represented after Verstappen had struggled with the car’s balance throughout the three practices. It wasn’t that the formidable-looking McLaren and Ferrari challenge had faltered either. Both those teams were significantly quicker in qualifying than at any other stage of the weekend.

It was just that Verstappen and the team had found more. But exactly what is the team’s role in situations like this? “The unsung heroes are the 60 people working back at base – and the sim driver, in this case Buemi, putting in the long hard hours,” Christian Horner tells The Race.

“The unsung heroes”;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/v...mi-hulkenberg/


Horner after pole in Imola: 'You can tell how much it meant to Max'
18 May 2024
Julien Lemmen
Verstappen.nl

After a rough start of the weekend for Oracle Red Bull Racing during free practice in Imola, Max Verstappen eventually took pole position in a thrilling qualifying session. Team principal Christian Horner reflects after qualifying:

"It was an outstanding Saturday here in Imola, especially after we struggled yesterday. The team did a really good job overnight, with Seb Buemi, Jake Dennis and everyone in Milton Keynes working into the early hours on the simulator, and we kept improving the car as we saw the results of in Q3.”

“Max had to deliver and he really pulled it out of the bag with a great performance, and you can tell how much it meant to him to be on pole today. That’s 8 poles in a row, equalling the great Ayrton Senna and doing it here in Imola making it all the more poignant. All to play for tomorrow as we head into race day in Imola."

'You can tell how much it meant to Max';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5466/


‘It all just came together’ – Verstappen thrilled to take pole after struggles in practice
18:57 Sat, 18 May 2024.
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Max Verstappen was on the back foot throughout all three practice sessions in Imola, but after hard work by him and his Red Bull crew they managed to get the car right for qualifying – and he duly delivered pole.

‘It all just came together’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/it...07039319780741


“…So I gave him the finger” – Verstappen, Norris and Piastri recount bizarre shared Imola F1 fan tale
The top three in Imola qualifying for the 2024 Emilia Romagna GP all remembered one mystery F1 fan
18 May 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen revealed he’d flipped off an Imola fan in qualifying for the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix with McLaren‘s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris adding they’d also noticed the rogue spectator but for contrasting reasons. Piastri and Norris provisionally qualified second and third within a tenth of the pole-sitting Dutchman, but while the Australian’s account echoed that of Verstappen, Formula 1‘s reigning grand prix winner explained he’d received support from the mystery fan.

That prompted Piastri to jokingly ask whether Norris has signed for Ferrari, with the Scuderia certainly the home favourites even away from the unmatched frenzy of Monza. “It’s been great and actually, I had a funny story in qualifying where we were driving in the pits,” Verstappen told select members of the press, including Total-Motorsport.com.

“A lot of people were clapping, then one guy was doing some different things to me so I gave him the finger, and then the next time I came around, he was clapping. So they learn you know? It’s easy to be not nice drivers, but I can also be not nice to, luckily he was a bit higher up but it’s good after that – I guess he appreciated it.”

“…So I gave him the finger”;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/so-...a-f1-fan-tale/


F1 starting grid: What is the grid order for the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola?
18 May 2024 4:02 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Piastri was handed a three-place penalty after the session for impeding Kevin Magnussen’s Haas in Q1, putting him down to fifth and promoting Lando Norris – the winner of the last race in Miami – to P2 ahead of the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix grid
1. Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2. Lando Norris, McLaren
3. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
4. Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
5. Oscar Piastri, McLaren
6. George Russell, Mercedes
7. Yuki Tsunoda, RB
8. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
9. Daniel Ricciardo, RB
10. Nico Hulkenberg, Haas

‘Grid order’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-sta...and-prix-imola

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen holds onto Emilia Romagna GP win after tense Lando Norris scrap.
The pair fought to the very end following a tense final stint, but it was the Red Bull star who came out on top.
15:30, Sun, May 19, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

The feeling after qualifying was that while Verstappen’s monster lap was enough to win the pole, the threat on Sunday would come from the McLaren duo of Norris and Piastri. However, after just a handful of laps of the Emilia Romagna GP, it became clear that the championship leader was the man to beat.

Verstappen held the lead from Norris at the start before scampering off up the road. The frontrunner settled into their order with the Miami Grand Prix winner leading the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Piastri demonstrated impressive pace behind them but struggled to find a way past on track.

The race leader was fortunate to avoid a safety car when Alex Albon was pictured moving slowly on the track. The Williams driver, fresh off the announcement of a contract extension, was sent back onto the tarmac with a loose tyre, all but ending his race. The Thai-British driver even picked up a stop-go penalty for his troubles.

‘A tense final stint’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...gna-Grand-Prix


Emilia Romagna GP: Race Results
20 May 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 63 laps

2 4 Lando Norris McLaren 0.725

3 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 7.916

4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 14.132

5 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 22.325

6 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 35.104

7 63 George Russell Mercedes 47.154

8 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 54.776

9 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 79.556

10 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 1L

‘Full results’;

https://speedcafe.com/emilia-romagna-gp-race-results/


Verstappen holds off Norris to win Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
May 19, 2024 at 10:34 AM ET
Auto Racing
TSN

IMOLA, Italy (AP) — Max Verstappen held off a challenge from McLaren’s Lando Norris to win the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday and extend his Formula 1 championship lead.

Verstappen started on pole position and stayed ahead of Norris at the start but was put under pressure by the McLaren driver again near the end and won by less than a second. It was the defending champion's fifth win in seven Grand Prix races this year and followed Verstappen being beaten by Norris in Miami two weeks ago.

Norris' second place Sunday underlined the McLaren team's credentials to be the closest challenger to Verstappen and Red Bull this season. Charles Leclerc was third for Ferrari.

‘Held off a challenge’;

https://www.tsn.ca/auto-racing/max-v...prix-1.2122997


F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix 2024 – Race Results
Max Verstappen of Red Bull took victory at the 2024 Emilia Romagna GP at Imola, just ahead of Lando Norris in the McLaren
19 May 2024
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen took his Red Bull from pole position to the chequered flag and victory at the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, just edging out McLaren driver Lando Norris who put up a late fight and finished within a second. Here are the full F1 results from the race at Imola.

Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, though was over six seconds adrift of Norris and over seven seconds ahead of Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren. Carlos Sainz brought his Ferrari home in fifth.

Next came the Meredes pair of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in sixth and seventh, ahead of Sergio Perez in the sister Red Bull in eighth. Lance Stroll of Aston Martin and Yuki Tsunoda of RB rounded out the Top 10 at Imola.

‘Race Results’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...-race-results/


Max Verstappen blasts ‘stupid’ F1 rival after almost blowing Emilia Romagna GP lead
Max Verstappen was feeling the heat during his battle with Lando Norris at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
15:44, Sun, May 19, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Max Verstappen was feeling tense during the closing stages of the Emilia Romagna Grand. Max Verstappen called Yuki Tsunoda 'stupid' during the closing stages of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after the VCARB driver held him up slightly at the Tosa hairpin.

Verstappen had controlled the race for large portions but began rapidly losing time to Lando Norris during the final stint. On lap 53 with the McLaren driver just 2.3 seconds back, he approached lap traffic.

The Dutchman found himself losing time behind VCARB's Tsunoda, who was running in the final point-paying position, at Tosa. He dialled into the radio to fume: "Can he let me by even more stupid?"

‘Feeling the heat’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...gna-Grand-Prix


Max Verstappen claims incredible double victory as he wins Emilia Romagna Grand Prix ahead of Lando Norris despite sleep worries
15:48, 19 May 2024
Robert Calcutt, Sports Writer
talkSPORT15

His latest victory is made even more impressive considering he was partaking in another race just hours before the Grand Prix. Verstappen was driving in the virtual Nurburgring 24-hour sim racing tournament with his Team Redline. Fans noticed he was behind the wheel for the race at 9am on the morning of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, with the Dutchman not one to rest.

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the race, he said: "The stints were good. We're still leading as well so the race is not done yet, it's like one hour 45 [minutes] to go. So my teammates are out driving at the moment, I'm trying to follow here and there but it's a lot of fun. Whenever I can, I try to race and this all worked out, it's in Europe, I can bring my own simulator, so it helps."

When queried if he'd had enough sleep, Verstappen assured fans he was okay to race.
He said: "Yeah, enough. I'd say enough. About seven hours, of course I would prefer to sleep a little bit more, but seven hours on a race day is absolutely fine, just looking forward to racing now."
Max Verstappen is absolutely incredible. It's 9 AM RACE DAY and he wasn't sleeping, he is still sitting in his hotel room racing in virtual 24 hour race at Nurburgring.

‘Incredible double victory’;

https://talksport.com/football/18749...-lando-norris/


Emilia Romagna GP: Lando Norris agonisingly close to second win as Max Verstappen hangs on at Imola
19 May 2024 3:35 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

After 50 laps of having it all his own way, Max Verstappen’s dominance at Imola was tested by Lando Norris as the Briton closed to within DRS range but ran out of laps. Verstappen held on to claim the win by a mere 0.725s ahead of the McLaren driver with Charles Leclerc completing the podium.

‘Max Verstappen hangs on at Imola’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/emilia...24-race-report


Verstappen holds off thrilling late charge from Norris to win Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
19 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

A thrilling end to the event ensued as Norris continued to cut into Verstappen’s advantage, but a snap of oversteer seemed to take further life out of the McLaren driver’s ageing tyres, allowing the Red Bull to hold onto P1 by just 0.725s as the chequered flag was waved.

Despite looking to be on Norris’s tail in the fight for P2 earlier in the event, Charles Leclerc had to settle for the final podium position of third in front of Ferrari’s home fans, while Oscar Piastri claimed P4 in a solid drive for McLaren.

‘A thrilling end’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...odjE3QIYIMWL0x

[Matthew]

Verstappen holds off thrilling late charge from Norris to win Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
19 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

A thrilling end to the event ensued as Norris continued to cut into Verstappen’s advantage, but a snap of oversteer seemed to take further life out of the McLaren driver’s ageing tyres, allowing the Red Bull to hold onto P1 by just 0.725s as the chequered flag was waved.

Despite looking to be on Norris’s tail in the fight for P2 earlier in the event, Charles Leclerc had to settle for the final podium position of third in front of Ferrari’s home fans, while Oscar Piastri claimed P4 in a solid drive for McLaren.

‘A thrilling end’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...odjE3QIYIMWL0x

That late surge by Lando was probably the only exciting thing in the entire race.

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen clinched Imola, but it was too close for comfort thanks to Lando Norris.
For the first time in a long while, Max Verstappen had to dig deep for a Formula One race victory on Sunday, courtesy of Lando Norris and McLaren.
22:09 Sun, 19 May 2024.
Nate Saunders, General Editor, F1
ESPN.com

Verstappen's final victory margin of 0.7 seconds over Norris at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix was a world away from any of the four easy wins he had claimed this year and a sizeable chunk of his record 19 victories in 2023. "F---ing hell, mate. Had to work for that," Verstappen said over his car radio after taking the chequered flag.

He wasn't wrong. Norris, fresh off the heels of an overdue first F1 win in Miami two weeks earlier, catapulted himself into victory contention with a thrilling charge late on, which fell agonisingly short of making it two in a row. "I was just praying for one more lap," Norris said later.

The Englishman was content with second, but there was a real feeling of what might have been had Norris been given one chance to attack Verstappen down Imola's long pit straight with his Drag Reduction System (DRS) wide open, which would have been the case as he was within one second of the Red Bull driver when they crossed the line.

“Had to work for that”;

https://www.espn.com/racing/story/_/...-imola-victory


How Norris’ patient start to his final stint helped him chase Verstappen
19th May 2024, 22:13
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

By the time Red Bull had an inkling how much pressure Max Verstappen was going to be under at the end of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, it was too late to do anything about it. Lando Norris cut Verstappen’s lead from a peak of seven-and-a-half seconds to just seven-tenths of a second as they took the chequered flag.

The McLaren driver was consistently quicker than Verstappen at the end of the race on the hard tyre compound. His cautious start to that stint appeared to be part of the reason why. Red Bull might have expected Verstappen to face a tricky end to the race as his team mate Sergio Perez started on the hard rubber and his lap times dropped off 23 laps into his 37-lap stint.

Norris played his tyres in more gently at the start of his stint compared to his team mate Oscar Piastri, and that appeared to pay off later on. Having given away half a second per lap at times at the start of the stint, Norris gained almost a second a lap compared to Piastri in the latter laps as Verstappen’s car grew bigger ahead of him. Norris’ reduced pace even allowed Charles Leclerc to briefly gain on him.

‘Norris’ patient start to his final stint helped him’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/19/...se-verstappen/


Horner after winning in Imola: 'A great job by Max'
19 May 2024
Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl

Christian Horner, team principle and CEO of Oracle Red Bull Racing, said after the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, won by Max Verstappen: “It was a race of two halves for us today. The first half was really strong and we built a good buffer, but the second half Lando started to catch us very quickly.”

Horner continues: “Max couldn’t afford to put a millimetre wrong with track limits and the pressure of Lando behind, so a great job by Max. It’s very satisfying to win a race like that when you have been pushed so hard. Overall, it was a weekend to remember in Imola and the whole team is looking forward to going again next weekend in Monte Carlo.”

'A great job by Max';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5469/


Perez’s poor weekend an “anomaly” – Horner
20th May 2024, 0:01
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Perez “very strong” until Imola – Horner: Perez finished a lowly eighth having started 11th on the grid. He failed to make the cut for Q3 by just one hundredth of a second, and lost time in the race when he went off between the two Rivazza turns.

However Horner said Perez has turned around his form since last season and expects last weekend’s dip in performance will prove a one-off. “I think he has had a much better start to this year, bar this weekend, which has been an anomaly,” said Horner. “He’s been very, very strong. I think that his approach, he’s been more relaxed, less focussed on what Max is doing, just focusing on himself. And I think he’s responded to that.”

“Anomaly”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/20/...nd-up-20-05-7/


‘It is Max Verstappen’: McLaren boss downplays Imola victory chance
McLaren Team Principal praises Norris's performance while acknowledging the teams missed opportunities
May 19, 2024
Theo Gayle
FormulaNerds

Despite the 24-year-old Brit’s strong performance, Team Principal Andrea Stella is uncertain if Lando Norris could have passed Max Verstappen to win in Imola with more laps.

As reported by news outlet Autosport, Stella shared a different outlook on today’s result. In his post-race interview, the Italian engineer chose to take an analytical approach to the race, providing insight as to why he thought overtaking at the circuit as well as Verstappen’s raw talent would have made it difficult even if more laps were left in the race.

“Well, 63 laps is already many laps,’ stated the 53-year-old post-race. Many times, you say you would like one lap more. It is what it is, and also, it is Max Verstappen; I am sure he was a bit in trouble, but he managed to get the most out of what he had, so well done, Max and well done to our two drivers, second and fourth.”

‘It is Max Verstappen’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/mc...ictory-chance/


Leclerc makes ‘weird’ accusation about Red Bull and McLaren
Charles Leclerc has made a claim against Red Bull and McLaren after Ferrari's defeat at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
19 May 8:03PM
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Charles Leclerc has accused Red Bull and McLaren of "doing something weird" with their engines after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. But the Monegasque felt there was something "weird" going on with how Ferrari's two rivals use their energy.

"I think our race pace is very, very strong," Leclerc told Sky Sports F1. "I’m more optimistic than yesterday looking back at the qualifying because this is where I think we are lacking on a weekend like this.”

"We lost everything in the straights, and they are doing something weird with the energy, engine-wise, McLaren and Red Bull. We will look into that. Once we fix that, we’ve got a real shot of going back onto the top step of the podium."

“Weird with the energy, engine-wise, McLaren and Red Bull”;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-ma...ll-and-mclaren


What Norris/Verstappen Imola fight means for F1: Our verdict
May 19, 2024
The Race

So, Max Verstappen ran out the winner at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after all. Except his run to victory wasn't anywhere near as straightforward as his previous wins have been.

“Sign that Red Bull's vulnerability has changed” Scott Mitchell-Malm: While the result on paper looks like a return to normality, the reality is that Red Bull’s under pressure. There will still be circuit-specific races where Verstappen dominates, I have no doubt, but it feels like rivals (especially McLaren) are now in a window to pounce more often.

“McLaren's got a key strength here” Gary Anderson: I think we can keep guessing if it is circuit-specific or an actual changing of the guard. Monaco will probably be different as it’s so individual but for normal circuits, I think McLaren needs to find just that little bit, a couple of tenths, and Ferrari needs just a little more, probably three tenths. But if that can happen we will have a three-team battle at the front on more occasions than not.

‘ “A concerning pattern for Ferrari” Ben Anderson, “The bigger-picture win” Josh Suttill, “A proper Red Bull celebration” Glenn Freeman’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/l...t-our-verdict/


Max Verstappen takes victory in Imola after close battle: 'We can be very happy'
19 May 2024
Stefan Meens
Verstappen.nl

“I had to give everything to win this one. The whole race I was pushing. We were strong on the mediums, but we struggled to manage the hard tyres. Especially in the last ten, fifteen laps, I didn’t have any grip or tyre temperature. I went all out in the last ten laps, which was difficult without grip. I couldn’t afford to make any mistakes and I had to make the most of it whilst controlling tyres. Luckily we didn’t make a mistake and I’m really happy to win here today.”

Meanwhile, Sergio Perez is desperately trying to make his alternative strategy work by waiting until lap 38 to make his first and final stop. After coming in and exchanging his hard tyres for the medium compound, the Mexican works his way up to eighth by passing Daniel Ricciardo, Nico Hulkenberg and Yuki Tsunoda. At the front, Max leads Norris by seven seconds and appears to be in control….

“I had to give everything to win this one”;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5468/

[Fortitude]

Horner praises ‘phenomenal’ turnaround by Red Bull at the end of ‘stressful’ Imola GP.
It was a remarkable turnaround by the team - and testament to the hard work that went on in the simulator back in Milton Keynes on Friday night.
19 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

While Horner was quick to pay tribute to both the simulator drivers and the wider team, he reserved special praise for the race winner. “When you look at the turnaround we had from Friday into Saturday to get the pole and to get the victory again today, it’s been a phenomenal performance and turnaround by the team but also Max has been incredible this weekend, and again he’s had to work very hard for the pole and the victory.”

“I think he’s had a very busy weekend because he’s also competed in the 24 hours of Nurburgring [sim race] as well as being in the car, so he’s won two races today, one in a BMW M3 and one in a Formula 1 car. Max this weekend, you heard what it meant to him, the pole position yesterday he had to dig very deep and the performance today was a masterclass.”

‘Phenomenal turnaround’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...8BVpWoAgKIK80Q


How Red Bull went from ‘nowhere’ to win: Imola turnaround explained
Christian Horner has shed light on how Red Bull turned things around following a difficult Friday at Imola.
20 May 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Christian Horner says a “big dive” on Friday evening ultimately paved the way for Red Bull’s impressive turnaround at the F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Red Bull experienced their most difficult Friday of the season at Imola, with both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez struggling with the balance of their RB20 cars and ending the day off the pace in both practice sessions.

Asked what was the key to Red Bull’s turnaround, Horner replied: “Sebastien Buemi. We did a lot of work on set-up on Friday into Saturday to move the balance and get the balance into a much better window. “As I say, for 60 percent of the race we were anywhere between six and eight seconds clear of the rest. It was just the second half of the stint on the hard tyre, we started to give away performance.”

Horner went on to explain: “It was a big dive and that’s why you must never underestimate the broader team in the factory, the simulator drivers. Credit where credit is due, the essence of team is being able to respond when things aren’t going well and we managed to turn it around. If you expected this result on Friday, all of the analysis would have said no way but we managed to turn it around and win the race.”

“Sebastien Buemi”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104891...ound-explained


Revealed: How Sebastien Buemi helped inspire Red Bull’s strong turnaround at Imola
19 May 2024 7:26 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

When asked for what it was that helped Red Bull turn their weekend around in Imola, Horner told media including PlanetF1.com with a smile: “Sebastien Buemi. We did a lot of work on set up over Friday night into Saturday, and managed to move the balance and get the car into a much better window.” Having driven for Toro Rosso for three seasons, Buemi’s career has flourished in other series – winning the Formula E title as well as four World Endurance Championships with Toyota, taking top honours at Le Mans four times on the way.

He has remained with Red Bull as a reserve and simulator driver along the way, and was on hand back at base to help run setup changes with the team as they looked for ways forward after two troublesome Friday practice sessions. Verstappen in particular then turned his fortunes around to place his car on pole position and led comfortably for most of the race, before Lando Norris closed right back up in the final stages and finished under a second behind come the chequered flag.

‘Sebastien Buemi’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christ...bull-imola-win


Red Bull was on the ropes at Imola but its F1 reign isn't over... yet
May 20th 2024
Author: Mark Hughes
Motor Sport Magazine

Max Verstappen’s Imola victory was not one of those comfortable nailed-on ones we’ve seen so often in the last few years. It was a struggle. It required a major change between Friday and Saturday. It required Verstappen to be at his tenacious best in the late stages of the race to hold off the flying McLaren of Lando Norris.

Red Bull was at its ropiest this weekend and even under those circumstances against heavily updated cars from Ferrari and McLaren, it could rely on Verstappen to overcome the shortfall. Things the Red Bull doesn’t like: a front-limited circuit (Imola, Melbourne). A circuit demanding bigger ride heights (Imola, Singapore).

That put the RB20 out of its comfort zone coming into the weekend and maybe that pre-knowledge played its part in the team arriving here with a set-up based around a big rear wing. It was paranoid about the tyre graining which can so easily trip you up here.

‘On the ropes’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...?nowprocket=1#


‘Broken’ Max Verstappen left with back pain from bumpy Imola F1 track
“My back, everything is hurting..."
19 May 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Max Verstappen says Imola’s bumpy surface left him feeling “broken” following his victory at the F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. While the battle with Norris was intense, Verstappen said the biggest issue he faced was the track itself. “I'm just broken from the bumps, to be honest,” Verstappen explained.

“My back, everything is hurting. It's not so much from the physical side of things, but just it was so bumpy out there. Already after like 20 laps, I could really feel my back. So I'm just looking forward to laying in bed. Maybe take some painkillers. And a massage, I don't know…”

Asked if he had a specific problem in the final stint, Verstappen replied: “I just couldn't really get the tyres to work. “It just felt like they were not operating in the right temperature window. And that just got worse and worse. So the last 15 laps for me was really like driving on ice. They were not responding anymore. So that's something that we have to analyse.”

‘Everything is hurting’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104883...imola-f1-track


Verstappen: ‘The last few laps I was pushing flat out… I could see Lando closing in’
18:50 Sun, 19 May 2024.
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Max Verstappen reflects on a hard-fought victory at Imola, when he finished less than a second ahead of Lando Norris.

‘Hard-fought victory’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ve...96775311948313


Helmut Marko hints at ‘not helpful’ Lando Norris messages as ‘deciding factor’ in Imola win
20 May 2024 9:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

What he thinks could’ve played a role was Norris’ race engineer’s messages to the Briton. Having already told his race engineer Joseph that he was “pushing” when informed about Charles Leclerc’s pace, Joseph was back on the radio during the Briton’s late-race tussle with Verstappen.

“Lando, happy to push Turn 9 a little bit more,” he said. Norris replied: “I’m pushing as much as I can mate. Thank you.” Marko reckons those messages would’ve been more annoying than inspiring.

“It was an interesting radio message from his engineer. He was driving at the absolute limit and he said he should increase his speed,” he said. “I think that really annoyed him. It certainly wasn’t helpful when you were concentrating in a situation like that.”

‘More annoying than inspiring’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut...g-factor-imola


Verstappen "almost ended in the grandstands" amid Imola F1 hard tyre struggles
18:16 Sun, 19 May 2024.
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Verstappen explained that he couldn't keep the hard compound in the right operating window, which led to a lack of grip that he says nearly saw him crash at Turn 7's Tosa hairpin. "On the mediums it was very good," Verstappen said after clinching his fifth grand prix win of the season.

"But then as soon as I swapped to the hard tyres, maybe not the first five to 10 laps but after that, I was like: 'I'm not sure I can bring this to the end'. The tyres just fell out of the operating window and it was just like driving on ice, really snappy.”

"At Turn 7 I almost ended up in the grandstands, for my feeling, at some point. So, it was just very difficult, really weird lines that I had to take." In previous events, Verstappen would have simply had the advantage to cruise to the finish anyway, but in the vastly upgraded McLaren MCL38, Norris managed to reel the triple world champion back in, hounding him to the line over the last 10 laps.

‘Turn 7’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/v...gles/10613032/

[Fortitude]

Vettel emotional after Senna, Ratzenberger tribute.
Sebastian Vettel was fighting back the tears after driving Ayrton Senna's 1993 McLaren around the Imola circuit as a tribute to the late Brazilian, as well as Austrian Formula One driver Roland Ratzenberger.
14:38 Sun, 19 May 2024.
ESPN.com

Four-time champion Vettel, who retired from F1 at the end of 2022, has worked in collaboration with Senna's family to honour the two drivers, leading a track run with members of the paddock on Thursday and driving a demonstration lap in the McLaren MP4/8 ahead of Sunday's race.

Both Senna and Ratzenberger died in separate accidents across two days of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola. For his last lap in the McLaren, Vettel held the Brazilian and Austrian flags out of the cockpit. Asked if he had a tear in his eye as he jumped out of the car on the Imola grid, Vettel said: "Definitely. I don't know, it's difficult to put in words -- it was one of the strongest emotions I've felt behind the wheel despite being alone on track and not even racing. Incredible.

"When I got the flags out it was so powerful. We had a very strong and emotional moment on Thursday when we ran the track and another one today. It's overwhelming and I'm happy that I had the courage to address my idea and come forward and invite the Senna family on the idea. We only got positive feedback and it seemed like the right thing to do.”

‘Fighting back the tears’;

https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/4...-mclaren-imola


Vettel roars through time powered by Senna’s spirit
12:49 Sun, 19 May 2024.
F1i.com

After his group track run on Friday that paid tribute to Imola’s fallen heroes in 1994, Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger, Sebastian Vettel indulged in another personal homage to the late Brazilian.

After Saturday’s qualifying, Vettel donned his helmet and overalls once again to thrill the fans with a session of hot laps onboard Senna’s race winning McLaren MP4/8, of which the German is the proud owner.

Taking to the track onboard Senna’s machine signified a profound gesture of respect by Vettel for one of his biggest idols, and a chance to connect with the heritage of a true racing legend.

‘Powered by Senna’s spirit’;

https://f1i.com/images/508324-vettel...as-spirit.html


Senna on-track tribute ‘one of the strongest emotions’ felt by Vettel
19:20 Mon, 20 May 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Sebastian Vettel admitted that Sunday’s tribute laps to Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger at Imola left him emotionally overwhelmed inside the cockpit of the great Brazilian’s McLaren. Senna's final moments were marked by a heartbreaking detail. In the wreckage of his car, marshals found an unfurled Austrian flag – a tribute to Ratzenberger that Senna had planned to wave during the race’s cool-down lap.

It was intended as a gesture of sportsmanship and respect, a final act of camaraderie cut tragically short. "I'm happy that I had the courage to address my idea and invite the Senna family. And I only got positive feedback. The compassion he had, the courage he had to speak his mind. Pushing education, trying to fight poverty in his country. “

In many ways, he was ahead of the game as a person of that time, but also as a racing driver in particular. "And therefore it's a very important and powerful story to share, especially with young drivers coming up." Vettel admitted that he wondered before last weekend’s tribute whether waving the Austrian flag in memory of Ratzenberger was “the right thing”.

‘Had the courage to address my idea and invite the Senna family’;

https://f1i.com/news/508574-senna-on...by-vettel.html


Vettel left ‘very emotional’ by demo run in Ayrton Senna’s McLaren at Imola
19 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Four time world champion Sebastian Vettel paid tribute to Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger 30 years after they were tragically killed at Imola, by driving Senna’s last McLaren around the Italian circuit.

‘Very emotional’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ve...86178840212076


Sebastian Vettel fights back tears after special Ayrton Senna tribute at Imola
Sebastian Vettel drove Ayrton Senna's McLaren MP4/8 in a special show run at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and also paid tribute to Roland Ratzenberger, 30 years on from their deaths at Imola
15:01 Sun, 19 May 2024.
By Daniel MoxonSenior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Speaking afterwards to media, including Mirror Sport , the four-time F1 champion was clearly emotional as he described how it had felt. He said: "It's difficult to put into words. It was one of the strongest emotions I've felt behind the wheel, despite being alone on track and not even racing. But it was incredible. When I got the flags out, the people... it was so powerful.”

We had two very strong and emotional moments on Thursday when we ran the track and another one today. It's overwhelming and I'm happy that I had the courage to address my idea and come forward and invite the Senna family into the idea as well. I only got positive feedback from them and it felt like the right thing to do. Ayrton is a driver who will be remembered but we need to make sure we actively do so, and that weekend also Roland lost his life.”

“Two drivers who were sort of colleagues of mine, but I never had the chance to meet them. It means so much more than just racing.” Naturally, Vettel also faced questions about his future. He retired at the end of 2022 but admitted only weeks ago that a comeback is not out of the question - but insisted on Sunday that a return to full-time driving in F1 is not something to which he is currently giving serious consideration.

“Two drivers who were sort of colleagues of mine, but I never had the chance to meet them”;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...tears-32844270

[Fortitude]

McLaren Are Closing The Gap To Red Bull.
A new season starts from Imola. Looking at the outcome of the Imola GP, we can see how the gap between Red Bull and the other teams is increasingly decreasing.
May 21, 2024
Siria Famulari
Last Word On Sports

McLaren and Ferrari are getting ever closer to the team that in recent years has been the worst nightmare of the entire grid. The time has come for the Bulls to watch their backs, because before Red Bull competed alone, and now find themselves hot on their heels with two teams who can’t wait to fight and conquer the podium.

The key element was the upgrades brought by McLaren, which have thus far indicated that they are on the right track. After last season, which didn’t start in the best way, now the Papaya team is demonstrating that it has the right qualities to be a competitive team. The race in Imola is just a taste of what we may see in the next races. After travelling alone at the speed of light, Red Bull may have to work that much harder for victory.

‘A new season starts from Imola’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...p-to-red-bull/


‘There wasn’t much to pick’ between McLaren and Red Bull in Imola says Stella
May 21, 2024
Formula One - Official Site

With Lando Norris coming within a second of beating Max Verstappen in Imola, McLaren team boss Andrea Stella could be forgiven for being elated with how the season is unfolding, following on from Norris’ victory in Miami.

But while he was clearly pleased with some aspects of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, Stella also sounded a note of caution – as with the gaps at the top narrowing, McLaren know they need to be pinpoint perfect across every aspect of their race weekend moving forwards, something that wasn’t quite the case in Italy.

“Execution of the weekend is always a key factor,” said Stella. “But now when margins are so close, I think the first three cars in qualifying were within one tenth or something, then clearly operations, the way you drive the race and manage the tyres can become the dominant factor. I think between a McLaren and a Red Bull today there wasn’t much to pick and other factors made a difference.”

‘Margins are so close’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...9QkbhUpSPo6urL


McLaren answer killer Lando Norris question on everyone’s lips after Imola GP
21 May 2024 9:15 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Did Lando Norris need just one more lap to pass Max Verstappen for the win at Imola? McLaren team principal Andrea Stella suggested Verstappen had rather judged his tyre life to perfection. Verstappen would hold Norris off to secure a fifth win of the season, but with the gap only 0.7 seconds across the line, Norris suggested he needed just one more lap to mount an attack on the Championship leader.

However, when pressed by media including PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher on whether he agreed with Norris’ assessment, McLaren team boss Stella instead suggested that Verstappen mastered the use of his tyre life “budget” to make sure that he had enough to secure victory.

“I think that there were already 63 laps, which is many,” said Stella in response to Norris’ theory. “And I think Max did a good job in managing his budget over the 63 laps, and just making sure that it was enough to retain the first position.”

‘Killer Lando Norris question’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/andrea...a-one-more-lap


Oscar Piastri confirms Lando Norris belief as Max Verstappen sent blunt warning
McLaren enjoyed another impressive showing at the Emiliana Romagna Grand Prix and both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are feeling confident about the team's future
• 10:23, 21 May 2024
By Matthew Cooper Sports Writer
The Mirror

McLaren have fired a warning to Max Verstappen and Red Bull after another impressive race weekend. When asked if he felt his recent results gave him confidence he could regularly challenge Verstappen's dominance, Norris said: "There's no reason after a couple of tracks that you'd want to deny it.”

"I don't think we're at their level yet - as we saw today, they still have areas where they are better. But there was maybe some areas where we're better now, which is a good sign. There are tracks where we can be stronger... I'm excited that we can definitely continue to fight them in more races."

And Piastri echoed Norris' comments, citing McLaren's improvements in "conditions we've struggled in" over the past few years. "Miami felt like a really strong weekend," Piastri said. "Here felt really strong. I think that was the most we could have got out of the race, so for me personally, I'm very happy - I feel like I've built a bit of good momentum in the last two weekends, which is something I've been trying to aim for a bit more.

‘Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are feeling confident’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...dbull-32856181


‘I think he’s perfect’: Damon Hill raves about ‘perfect’ McLaren man’s work behind the scenes after Imola Grand Prix
Mon 20 May 2024 19:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Hill has now suggested that McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has been revolutionary for the team since being promoted into his current role. McLaren CEO Zak Brown was quick to highlight Stella’s contribution after Norris’s maiden race win at the previous Grand Prix.

Asked if he’s a secret weapon for McLaren, Hill said (19/5 4:10pm): “I think he’s found his position in the team and listening to Zak [Brown], he was saying that he was reluctant to step up originally. “But I think he needed a bit of encouragement and I think he’s perfect.”

“You can see from the way he talks to his team and about his drivers and he’s always encouraging and also thinking optimistically and gives logical answers. There doesn’t seem to be any sort of big ego there at all, it’s just simply the method is right.”

‘I think he’s perfect’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/dam...la-grand-prix/


F1 NATION: A new F1 rivalry? Red Bull worried by McLaren? A Leclerc victory in Monaco? – it's our Emilia-Romagna GP Review
21 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

How did Verstappen go from enjoying a comfortable lead to almost losing the win? Why did Norris find so much pace towards the end? Could Oscar Piastri have won the race had he not been given a three-place grid penalty?

Charles Leclerc finished third, but how will Ferrari be feeling after such high expectations for their upgrades? Tom, Diego and Andrea discuss all the big talking points and the latest developments in the driver market.

Plus, RB Team Principal Laurent Mekies joins the pod to discuss whether they’re now targeting Aston Martin in the Constructors’ Championship and the team make their predictions for Monaco.

‘A new F1 rivalry?’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...hjb9b0QutjnEqn


Lando Norris: The Junior Career That Caught McLaren’s Attention
May 21, 2024
Nicole Powell
Last Word On Sports

A look at the progression of Lando Norris’ career from karting through to Formula 2, before he made his full F1 debut in 2019. McLaren driver Lando Norris made his name for himself in a successful 2016 season, where he had a knack for winning titles. As a result, Norris joined the McLaren Junior Driver Programme in 2017.

He then became the official test driver and reserve driver for the Papaya team in 2018, participating in a couple of practice sessions that season. In 2019, he was called up to be an official driver for the F1 team. Five years later, he is a race winner for McLaren, having taken his maiden win at the 2024 Miami GP.

‘Caught McLaren’s Attention’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...ens-attention/


Christian Horner issues Red Bull upgrade vow as McLaren and Ferrari close in
21 May 2024 10:45 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Christian Horner has said Red Bull will respond in the F1 2024 development race following the emergence of McLaren and Ferrari over recent weeks. Speaking to Sky F1 after the race, Horner stressed the need for Red Bull to keep extracting more performance from the RB20 as their rivals close in.

He said: “It just demonstrates that things don’t stand still in Formula 1. You’ve got to keep pushing, you’ve got to keep moving forward. We’ve won five of the seven races now, but you can see McLaren have made a step, Ferrari made a step and we’re going to need to keep that rate of development coming through.”

‘Red Bull upgrade vow’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christ...claren-ferrari

[Fortitude]

Where frustrated Ferrari really stands after McLaren beatings.
Ferrari had the air of frustration synonymous with a missed opportunity after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, as its upgraded Formula 1 car finished third-best behind Red Bull and McLaren.
May 20, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Ferrari had the air of frustration synonymous with a missed opportunity after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, as its upgraded Formula 1 car finished third-best behind Red Bull and McLaren.

The much-hyped first major Ferrari upgrade of 2024 was never intended to be the ‘evo’ or ‘2.0’ car that some overexcited parties dubbed it in the build-up to Imola. But as Ferrari had started the season, on balance, as Red Bull’s nearest competitor and even won a race, there was obvious optimism that it would edge it closer to its main rival.

A second successive defeat to McLaren, then, let alone failing to beat Red Bull would be seen as a clear disappointment. But it was actually what consigned Ferrari to third, rather than the result itself, that seemed to be irritating some key figures after the race.

‘Irritating’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/w...aren-beatings/


Vasseur ‘a bit frustrated’ as he pinpoints where Ferrari lost chance of home Imola victory
20 May 2024
Formula1.com

Charles Leclerc delivered a podium finish for the expectant Tifosi in Imola, with the crowds bedecked in Ferrari colours and roaring on both the Monegasque driver and team mate Carlos Sainz from start to finish.

Monza might be Ferrari’s true home race, but Imola isn’t far from their factory in Maranello. There is always a huge outpouring of support whenever the Scuderia race on home soil and the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix was no exception – but with that support comes pressure.

While a third and a fifth is not a bad result, team boss Fred Vasseur was left wondering what might have been on a day that saw McLaren appear to leapfrog Ferrari to become Red Bull’s closest challengers. “Overall, it’s a kind of mixed feeling for me, because I think we did a step forward, McLaren did probably the same as us,” he said afterwards.

‘Vasseur frustrated’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...e5Xl4fnXbIt1C7


Ferrari must speed up upgrades push as F1 grid tightens - Vasseur
Ferrari just fell short of challenging for a Formula 1 win on home soil, but team boss Fred Vasseur is smelling blood as the gap to Red Bull shrinks.
11:43 Mon, 20 May 2024.
Filip Cleeren
Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Charles Leclerc took a popular podium at Imola, with Carlos Sainz in fifth, as Ferrari was beaten by McLaren as F1's closest challenger to Red Bull's Max Verstappen. With overtaking nearly impossible on similar tyre strategies, Ferrari feels it effectively lost the battle for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in qualifying, with Vasseur saying: "I think that if we do 1-2 in qualifying, we do 1-2 in the race."

Vasseur says that one-tenth gap means teams will now have to accelerate development plans even further. Bringing just the tiniest upgrade can help make the difference as the rate of development slows under the current regulations. "What is true is that we are at the point now where we will have to speed up the development," said Vasseur.

"Imagine that someone could bring an upgrade one race [earlier] when you have three teams in one tenth, you can jump from P5 to P1. It means that we'll have to speed up the time to market, it will be crucial. But we also have to pay attention that we are now chasing the last hundredths. It's not anymore a five-tenth upgrade. It means that you also have to be sure that what you are bringing is working. It will be the key factor for the next couple of events."

‘Smelling blood’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...seur/10613244/


Leclerc praises upgrade package, but calls for further improvement
07:39 Mon, 20 May 2024.
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Ferrari still needs to find more pace in its SF-24 if it really wants to challenge for race wins, says Charles Leclerc after the Imola F1 race that saw him fail to achieve more than a third place.

"Today’s race went well and we got even closer to our rivals. If we had qualified higher up, we could have presented our fans with an even better result. After changing on to the Hard tyres I had great pace and managed to make up ground on Lando (Norris) and Max (Verstappen,) but in the end the McLaren was quicker than us, although not by much.”

"Overall, there are plenty of positives to take away from this race: the upgrades worked as expected and we are more competitive. We must continue to work to close the gap, which although small, still separates us from the race winner. Obviously, we dedicate this result and our performance to the Tifosi who are the best fans in the world and they always support us come what may. I’m sure we’ll soon be able to pay them back with a win."

‘We must continue to work’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24602


Charles Leclerc unhappy with Imola podium and explains issue that cost Ferrari
The Ferrari driver finished on the podium again but he still wasn't satisfied with his third place at Imola
19 May 2024
Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

Charles Leclerc admitted he wasn’t happy with finishing third at the 2024 Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, after Ferrari’s upgrades failed to produce a tangible boost to their performance.

“It’s always very special to be on the podium here in Imola. However, obviously I’m never satisfied with the P3. You always want to be on the top step of the podium,” Leclerc told the press, including Total-Motorsport.com.

“Considering everything, I think we have lost mostly what could have been yesterday in qualifying and we’ll analyse this. But today in the race, as Lando said, we were all very, very close. And it was all about who was pushing when [at different points] in the race.”

‘Unhappy with Imola podium’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...ferrari-issue/


Ferrari beef up title fight potential despite Imola result
Ferrari secured a podium result at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday as team principal Frederic Vasseur looks to a potential title fight in 2024.
20 May 2024, 7:25AM
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has hinted at the prospect of a title fight this season following its podium result at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. “It’s good news for me, good news for F1, good news for the championship,” Vasseur told media including RacingNews365.

“You have three teams within seven seconds after 70 laps, it's less than one-tenth a lap. It’s almost the same from the beginning of the weekend. We start from scratch next weekend in Monaco with a different track layout, different corners.”

‘Beef up title fight potential’;

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-be...e-imola-result


Sainz laments Ferrari 'inconsistencies' for race he 'didn't enjoy at all'
Carlos Sainz has revealed a number of issues ruined his Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, on a quiet day for the Spaniard.
20 May 2024, 12:30PM
Samuel Coop & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Having lined up fourth on the grid, the 29-year-old brought his Ferrari home in fifth after a quiet race. Team-mate Charles Leclerc started and finished in third, to take Ferrari's first podium finish at Imola since Michael Schumacher won for the Scuderia in 2006. "Today, simply, we were lacking quite a lot of pace," Sainz explained to media including RacingNews365.

"Not very happy because I'm pretty sure after quali[fying] yesterday, we saw something in the car that might not have been working as expected. We also had some issues with deployment, so today was a bit of [a] damage limitation race for me after what we saw yesterday.”

"Honestly not happy because we've been all weekend lagging a bit and a bit behind - a couple of tenths [of a second] too slow, which is not ideal. Having said that, P5 and the race how it went - it's not like much happened."

'Inconsistencies';

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-bemo...ferrari-issues


Toto Wolff savaged by Ferrari chief after more Mercedes pain at Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Mercedes continue to languish behind the top teams, and now Toto Wolff has been teased by one of his closest friends and rivals.
11:16, Mon, May 20, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Fred Vasseur sarcastically suggested that Mercedes are getting closer to the front after Charles Leclerc finished ‘28 seconds’ ahead of the Silver Arrows’ highest-running driver, Lewis Hamilton, at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday. Speaking to Motorsport Italy about Ferrari’s former rivals, Vasseur said: “The Mercedes? They were 28 seconds behind Charles at the end of the race, so yes, I think they got a little closer."

These comments will come as a kick to the teeth of Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who is growing ever-frustrated with his team’s inability to understand the underlying issues with their design concept. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished in P6 and P7 respectively on Sunday, but the Silver Arrows were some way off the top three squads on the day.

‘Sarcastically savaged’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...gna-Grand-Prix