Oscar Piastri gathered Lando Norris in the second practice to complete a perfect Friday for McLaren in Grand Prix Emilia Romagna.
The piastri, who runs Norris with 16 points in the driver championship, was only 0.025 faster than his teammate McLaren with Pierre Gasly Alpine in a third surprise.
Mercedes’s George Russell was four tenths in the fourth rhythm, just ahead of Max Verstappen to Red Bull and Charles Leclerc to the sixth.
Leclerc and Ferrari’s teammate Lewis Hamilton, who was 11th, both surprised the brake issues to the point that Ferrari took Hamilton’s brakes halfway through the session to resolve the matter.
Like other first -running teams, Ferrari brought up updates to their home event in immolations, including changes in the back to help instability, but the 0.650s Hamilton deficit to set the rhythm of the piastri suggest that they have made no progress.
Elsewhere, Racing Bull’s Issac Hadjar rolled into the first high-speed chicane and made his car when he tried to reunite on the right track after nilizing the obstacle.
Hadjar still ended the seventh by Red Bull Yuki Tsunoda in the eight in front of the Williams couple Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz.
The young Italian Kimi Antonelli was unable to unite a clean flying lap and finished the day at 18 in his first race on the house.
Franco Colapinto was the 13th at the end of his first Friday for Alpine as he begins his five-race agreement instead of Jack Doohan.
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Ted Kravitz describes what improves the teams they have made at Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Piastri vs Norris in Imola?
Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari hoping Saturday at 3pm, directly at Sky Sports F1.
Other teams tend to capture when it matters more, but McLaren’s own updates for the car are working well and both of their drivers have left time on the table.
On the fastest lap of the piastri, he was prevented by the filthy air from a car in front of him in the last corner, and Norris was set to go faster to his second push -off until he suffered a large slide, also in turn 18.
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McLaren team director Andrea Stella is determined to ignore the allegations made against their car, with FIA clearing the team of any wrongdoing
“That would not be the first Friday where we look strong and everyone finds a little more qualifying,” Piastri said.
“We still want to find a little more, but everything has gone very well. The car is feeling good. Still some more things to tear up, but at all, not bad.
“On Saturdays have been important almost everywhere. Imola is a place where qualification means a lot, but, at the moment, I don’t think it’s just Lando and I.
“I think there are some others who will join us in the war, so we have to keep our heads down and try to find a little more.”
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Speaking at Podcast F1 Show, Martin Brundle argues if Max Verstappen Garon Oscar Piastri Unlike Lando Norris
Norris revealed that he made a “step ahead” last time in Miami after trying with the car at the beginning of the season compared to last year.
The British driver says his understanding of the car is a “longer project” but was “quite happy” with his Friday.
“I’m sure he (the piastri) will find things too. FP2 we always look good, we always look better than everyone and then we have to qualify and they are caught,” he added.
“I don’t think we’re in a comfortable place. We still have work to do. Alpine were fast, they’ve always been fast here. I’m sure Red Bull will catch and Mercedes will be in only when they turn their engines. So nothing to be comfortable with it. But I think a productive Friday.”
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Harry Benjamin and Anthony Davidson were in Skypad to see again Friday practice sessions at Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Verstappen says Red Bull ‘not so fast’ as Gasly discovers he hit a rabbit
The F1 Verstappen World Champion was dissatisfied with the back of his car in the first practice after Red Bull made significant changes throughout the day, but still ended nearly half a second after McLaren.
“We tried a lot of pieces. Some worked better than others, but in general, not as fast as they should at the moment,” he said.
“We need more work to get a better corner balance to go faster. The same thing at long periods. I mean I was overcome by McLarens, who says enough, or not? They withdrew.
“Even then, compared to the other teams around us, it was a little difficult.”
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Despite the new Red Bull updates this weekend, Max Verstappen appeared less safe for their chances after a difficult practical session in Emilia Romagna GP
Meanwhile, Gasly had “the best Friday so far” ending the sixth in the first and third practice in second practice. However, the alpine driver discovered that he hit a rabbit in the first session.
“Many unfortunately had a big rabbit jumping across the track and I couldn’t avoid it, so I had a big impact on the front arm,” Gasly said.
“Unfortunately, it was for the rabbit and I broke the front arm. It is quite unfortunate because we always try to take care of our parts, so when such things happen they are not excellent.”
EMILIA ROMAGNA GP SKY SPORTS F1 program
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Check out some of the most dramatic moments that have happened at the Grand Prix Emilia Romagna
Saturday May 17th
9:00: F3 Sprint
11:15 AM: Emilia Romagna Gp Practice Three (Session starts at 11.30am)
1.10 Afternoon: F2 Sprint
2.10 Afternoon: Emilia Romagna GP Construction Qualification
03:00: Emilia Romagna GP Qualification*
5 Afternoon: TED qualifying notebook
Sunday 18 May
7.25AM: F3 Characteristics Race
8.55 morning: Characteristics competition F2
12:30 PM: Grand Prix Sunday: GP Construction Emilia Romagna GP
02:00: Grand Prix Emilia Romagna
4 Afternoon: Control Flag: Emilia Romagna reaction GP
5 Afternoon: TED notebook
*Also live in Sky Sports Main event
The European F1 season begins with Grand Prix Emilia Romagna this weekend, live at Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with now – without contract, cancel at any time
