F1 Starting Grid 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
F1 Race Event: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Race Track: Autodromo Imola
Start time: 15:00 CET | 14:00 UK | 06:00 LA | 22:00 Tokio
Lewis Hamilton will start from pole for the 99th time tomorrow. The British driver out classified pole favourite and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.
The Dutchman made an error in the beginning of the final lap of Q3. Verstappen did drive the quickest second sector but wasn't quick enough overall and even had to settle for P3 behind his teammate Sergio Perez.
The Mexican driver will start from front row and P2 for the first time in his 11th F1 season. Afterwards he said he didn't expect to be that quick in his second race.
Perez will start on the red soft tyres tomorrow while Hamilton and Verstappen will start on the medium compound. This could be an advantage for Perez to take the lead into turn 2.
F1 Starting Grid 2021 E. Romagna GP
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Lap Time | Pole gap | Tyres |
| 1 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:14,411 | M (C3) | |
| 2 | 11 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull | 1:14,446 | +0,035s | S (C4) |
| 3 | 33 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:14,498 | +0,087s | M (C3) |
| 4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:14,740 | +0,329s | S (C4) |
| 5 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri | 1:14,790 | +0,379s | S (C4) |
| 6 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren | 1:14,826 | +0,415s | S (C4) |
| 7 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:14,875 | +0,464s | S (C4) |
| 8 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 1:14,898 | +0,487s | M (C3) |
| 9 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | 1:15,210 | +0,799s | S (C4) |
| 10 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | no time | - | S (C4) |
| 11 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 1:15,199 | +0,788s | |
| 12 | 63 | George Russell | Williams | 1:15,261 | +0,850s | |
| 13 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin | 1:15,394 | +0,983s | |
| 14 | 6 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams | 1:15,593 | +1,182s | |
| 15 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine | 1:15,593 | +1,182s | |
| 16 | 7 | Kimi Räikkönen | Alfa Romeo | 1:15,974 | +1,563s | |
| 17 | 99 | Antonio Giovinazzi | Alfa Romeo | 1:16,122 | +1,711s | |
| 18 | 47 | Mick Schumacher | Haas | 1:16,279 | +1,868s | |
| 19 | 9 | Nikita Mazepin | Haas | 1:16,797 | +2,386s | |
| 20 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | no time | - |
2021 Imola F1 GP Race Strategy
The 63-lap race is almost certain to be a one-stopper for most drivers, for three main reasons. Firstly, it's hard to overtake around the narrow confines of Imola; secondly, the pit lane time loss is high at nearly half a minute; thirdly, the wear and degradation on the tyres is reasonably low.
A two-stopper will definitely be slower, so the teams will look to avoid that if possible. Track position is key and steering clear of traffic is important, so the timing of the stop will be critical. An advantage can often be gained by 'undercutting' direct rivals, so the selected strategy has to consider this as well.
A more detailed strategy prediction infographic, with likely compounds and stint lengths, will be distributed tomorrow morning.
2021 Emilia Romagna F1 GP Race Notes
- Qualifying tyre strategy: a total of five cars used the P Zero Yellow medium tyre in the decisive Q2 session, which determines the starting tyres for the grid, with both Mercedes and the Red Bull of Max Verstappen using it to set their best times. The two Williams drivers also used the medium, but qualified out of the top 10. The other seven in the top 10 of the grid will start on the P Zero Red soft tyre tomorrow. As usual, everyone else from P11 downwards has a free choice of tyres.
- With Hamilton starting from pole and Verstappen starting third, two of the top three will start using the medium tyre on the rubbered-in 'clean' side of the track: with the other Red Bull of Sergio Perez in between them on soft rubber but starting on the 'dirty' side.
- Weather. Although conditions at Imola have been consistently cool in free practice, track temperatures became warmer during qualifying to peak at more than 30 degrees centigrade. Cool conditions similar to Friday are expected tomorrow, as well as the risk of rain.
- Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time of the weekend so far (on his first Q3 run) while McLaren's Lando Norris had a front-row time deleted due to a track limits infringement.
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So living legend Sir Lewis puts in another stellar performance in qualifying. How stellar? He did it on the harder compound while Max on said compound was no match. So much so that it took Perez on softer tyres to come closer to the G.O.A.T but still not good enough to upstage. Meanwhile poor Bottas is all the way down in 8th on same tyres as Max and Lewis. So Merc, Bull and Bull top 3.
But it's not the superiority of Lewis; oh no, "it's the car....the car". Lol
Boring isn't it? No wonder the TV figures are way down - this outright Championship win for Mercedes and Hamilton makes the little e-GP cars seem exciting.
Sad really, wonder how Schue would have fared in his prime?
With PER's ability to control tire deg this could be an interesting race. He might be able to one stop even starting on the reds. Give 'em hell, Checo.
Merc and lH are sooooooo boring
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