FP2 Results & Report 2024 Emilia Romagna F1 GP

Event: Emilia Romagna F1 GP
Track: Autodromo Imola

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24 during the Emilia Romagna GP at Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari on Friday May 17, 2024 in imola, Italy. (Photo by Andy Hone / LAT Images)

Weather: dry  24.0°C
Tarmac: dry  35.3°C
Humidity: 36.0%
Wind: 1.8 km/h South

Leclerc Dominates Both Practice Sessions at Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

The 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at the historic Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit in Imola, Italy, has kicked off with thrilling action during the first two practice sessions. Under sunny skies but battling gusty winds, the drivers faced a challenging day on track, with Charles Leclerc emerging as the standout performer.

Leclerc Sets the Pace

Charles Leclerc showcased impressive form, topping both Free Practice 1 (FP1) and Free Practice 2 (FP2). The Ferrari driver clocked the fastest time in FP1, ahead of Mercedes' George Russell and his teammate Carlos Sainz. In FP2, Leclerc continued his dominance, finishing ahead of McLaren's Oscar Piastri and AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda. Leclerc's upgraded Ferrari appears to be well-suited to the demands of the Imola circuit, giving the Tifosi plenty of reasons to be optimistic for the weekend.

Mixed Fortunes for Red Bull

Red Bull experienced a mixed day, with Max Verstappen struggling to find balance in his car. Verstappen ended FP1 in third place but faced difficulties throughout the day, including a trip into the gravel at Variante Alta during FP2. His teammate, Sergio Perez, also encountered issues, notably impeding Leclerc during the session, which the FIA stewards will investigate.

Tsunoda Impresses at Home

Yuki Tsunoda, racing at AlphaTauri's home track, impressed with a strong third-place finish in FP2. Despite a minor infringement regarding a practice start, Tsunoda's pace has been encouraging, and he looks to be a contender for a strong qualifying performance.

Mercedes Shows Promise

Mercedes introduced a significant upgrade package this weekend, marking the first phase of their development plan for the season. Both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton appeared comfortable with the new parts, with Russell finishing FP1 in second place and showing competitive long-run pace.

McLaren on the Rise

McLaren's Oscar Piastri demonstrated the potential of the team's upgrades by finishing second in FP2. With teammate Lando Norris also showing strong pace before a minor off-track excursion, McLaren appears to be in good shape heading into the rest of the weekend.

Struggles for Williams and Haas

Williams faced a challenging day, with Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant struggling for pace despite new upgrades. Haas, too, had issues, particularly with Nico Hulkenberg's car, which had to return to the pits early due to technical problems.

Traffic and Track Conditions

The narrow and technical nature of the Imola circuit, combined with gusty wind conditions, created traffic chaos at times, frustrating several drivers, including Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton. The teams experimented with different tire compounds and fuel loads throughout the sessions, aiming to gather crucial data for the upcoming qualifying and race.

Quickest Sector Times

The quickest sector times during the grand prix were:

• Sector 1: 23.926 sec by Charles Leclerc (Ferrari SF-24)
• Sector 2: 26.166 sec by Lando Norris (McLaren MCL38)
• Sector 3: 25.591 sec by Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W15)

Last time (back in 2022) Russell was fastest during FP2. He did one lap of Imola in 1:19,457 min with the Mercedes W13 also on a dry tarmac.

Looking Ahead

As the teams analyze the data from today's sessions, the focus will shift to optimizing their setups for qualifying. With Ferrari looking strong and Red Bull searching for answers, the stage is set for an exciting weekend at Imola.

Be sure to join us again tomorrow for live coverage of the final practice session and qualifying, where the true pecking order will begin to reveal itself. Will Leclerc continue his dominance and thrill the home crowd, or will Verstappen and Red Bull find the pace they need to challenge? Don't miss the action starting at 12:15 local time (10:15 UTC).

FP2 Times Table 2024 E. Romagna GP

✅ Check out our 2024 Emilia Romagna Formula 1 Grand Prix preview.

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