F1 heads to Italy as Imola hosts the first leg of the European summer stint, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, and round seven of the 2025 F1 season this weekend.
Oscar Piastri won his third race in a row last time out in Miami, extending his championship lead with McLaren teammate Lando Norris now 16 points behind.
Mercedes’ George Russell earned his fourth podium of the year with a third-place finish, while pole-sitter Max Verstappen finished fourth. As for Ferrari, it was another weekend to forget with an irritated Lewis Hamilton finishing eighth, with Charles Leclerc just a spot ahead in seventh.
Yet the Scuderia will be eyeing an improvement in front of their home tifosi crowd in Imola. Last year, Verstappen won the race after holding off a late charge from Norris.
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F1 EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
- Round seven of the 2025 F1 season takes place in Imola
- Qualifying on Saturday is at 3pm (BST)
- Lando Norris quickest in final practice; Piastri 2nd; Verstappen 3rd
- Lewis Hamilton makes Ferrari admission: ‘I didn’t know how tough it would be’
- FEATURE: Welcome to Maranello, Ferrari’s hometown where history weighs heavy on F1’s greatest team
What are the start times this weekend?
Friday 16 May 2025 17:46
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Kieran Jackson
All times BST
Saturday 17 May
- Qualifying: 3pm
Sunday 18 May
- Race: 2pm
FULL FP3 RESULTS:
12:45
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Kieran Jackson
FP3 CLASSIFICATION
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 17, 2025
McLaren complete a hat-trick of 1-2s in practice at Imola #F1 #ImolaGP pic.twitter.com/0yWwYbD1Ld
Lando Norris quickest in FP3!
12:32
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Kieran Jackson
Oscar Piastri goes close right at the end... but this time Norris nicks P1!
The Brit quickest in final practice with a 1:14:897, 0.100 seconds quicker than his teammate!
Verstappen is third, 0.181 secs off Norris, with Antonelli fourth and Leclerc fifth!
6-10: Sainz, Hadjar, Russell, Albon, Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton enters the gravel!
12:27
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Kieran Jackson
Hamilton cannot go quicker as he puts a wheel in the gravel!
Another underwhelming session for the British driver.
Hamilton: “I might have floor damage, I went a bit wide.”
Lando Norris goes P1!
12:22
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Kieran Jackson
Norris goes quickest with a 1:14:897, 0.181 secs faster than Verstappen!
Piastri is two-tenths further back in third.
4-10: Antonelli, Sainz, Hadjar, Leclerc, Russel, Albon, Alonso
Hamilton down in P11!
Just under 10 minutes to go!
Carlos Sainz up to P3!
12:14
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Kieran Jackson
Williams looking strong again this weekend, with Sainz third-quickest with a time four-tenths off Verstappen!
1-10: Verstappen, Norris, Sainz, Hadjar, Leclerc, Russell, Albon, Piastri, Hamilton, Antonelli
15:00 to go in FP3! Anticipating some more qualifying simuation laps to come!
George Russell:
12:08
“A bit of bouncing out of turn 6, not lap time impacting but bit odd.”
Not smooth sailing for Mercedes...
Max Verstappen goes fastest!
12:04
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Kieran Jackson
Statement from the reigning world champion?
On the medium, Max Verstappen goes quickest by 0.139 secs to Lando Norris, now in P2!
Meanwhile, Liam Lawson has a moment at Tamburello, spinning his RB car but somehow keeping it out of the gravel trap!
Isack Hadjar goes P1!
11:59
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Kieran Jackson
Out of nowhere, the French rookie goes to the top!
His time of 1:15:508 is 0.021 secs quicker than Charles Leclerc now in P2, with Max Verstappen third.
4-10: Norris, Piastri, Hamilton, Russell, Bearman, Tsunoda, Sainz
Fernando Alonso on team radio:
11:56
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Kieran Jackson
Alonso slightly blocked by Leclerc at the final corner...
“I mean the Ferrari in the last corner... both Ferraris think they are alone on track, always.”
Not much in that, me thinks.
Lewis Hamilton fastest so far!
11:49
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Kieran Jackson
The Ferrari driver looking to dial in early on and he’s quickest thus far, though just half-the-grid have set a competitive lap so far.
Ollie Bearman is a surprise name in second, with Liam Lawson in third.
40:00 to go...
More drivers now out on track!
11:43
Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are among six drivers who have now joined Norris out on track - though no flying laps to speak of so far.
George Russell looks happy as larry with his headset on in the Mercedes garage, no rush there!
FP3 underway!
11:32
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Kieran Jackson
And the only driver straight out on track? Lando Norris.
McLaren driver clearly keen to dial in...
FP3 coming up!
11:25
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Kieran Jackson
We’re just five minutes from action out on trackn here in Imola!
It was a one-two for McLaren in both practice sessions yesterday - can any of the other teams get in on the table-topping action today?
Final practice at 11:30am (BST)!
Lando Norris not worried about championship standings despite early deficit
11:15
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Kieran Jackson
Asked if he was thinking about the title standings, Norris said: “No, is the answer. I don’t care about it and won’t think about it. It is easy for things to change.
“Also Red Bull are not far behind, Mercedes are not far behind so they are doing a good job. But we (McLaren) are doing a better job.
“Every race is important and yes we know they have upgrades and they talk a lot but at the end of the day we need to just do a good job on Sunday.
“If we keep focusing on ourselves then we will be fine.”
Qualifying odds!
10:43
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Kieran Jackson
Who will be on pole position?
- Oscar Piastri - 5/4
- Lando Norris - 11/8
- Max Verstappen - 6/1
- George Russell - 10/1
- Kimi Antonelli - 20/1
- Charles Leclerc - 20/1
- Lewis Hamilton - 40/1
- Pierre Gasly - 70/1
- Yuki Tsunoda - 275/1
- Carlos Sainz - 275/1
- Alex Albon - 275/1
Max Verstappen responds to Christian Horner 'sack' rumours
09:45
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Kieran Jackson
“Honestly, I have no idea where they come from, to be honest,” the Dutchman told F1 TV on Thursday.
“Naturally, I don’t really follow a lot of that all.
“So people ask me questions as well about that and I’m like, ‘honestly, I really don’t know who even puts that in the world’.”
FIA STATEMENT ON LECLERC FINE:
Friday 16 May 2025 18:30
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Kieran Jackson
A statement read: “The team representative admitted that these procedures were not followed, which is a breach of Article 30.5 a) of the FIA Formula One Sporting regulations.
“The stewards note that this was during a free practice session.
“In accordance with similar operational tyre infringements in the past, the stewards issue a fine of €5,000.”