Lando Norris Tops Final Practice at Emilia Romagna GP
Imola, Italy – Lando Norris continued McLaren’s strong showing at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, leading the third practice session on Saturday. Norris clocked a best lap of 1:14.897, setting a benchmark that marked the first sub-1:15 time of the weekend. Teammate Oscar Piastri followed closely in second with a time of 1:14.997.
Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing, the reigning world champion, secured third place, finishing 0.181 seconds off Norris’s pace with a lap time of 1:15.078. "The car felt good, but we need to fine-tune the setup further for qualifying," Verstappen remarked, underscoring his intent to improve.
The session began under searing track conditions, with teams cautious to exit the pits early. Lewis Hamilton led briefly before being surpassed first by Piastri and then Verstappen. Racing Bulls’ rookie Isack Hadjar also held an early lead as track grip improved.
Midway through the session, drivers transitioned to soft tires, utilizing Pirelli’s new C6 compound for qualifying simulations. Norris’s notable performance unfolded as he abandoned a lap after an understeer incident at Tamburello, while Piastri maintained consistent speed to capture second.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes showcased impressive debut speed, securing fourth place, nearly half a second behind McLaren. Charles Leclerc claimed fifth for Ferrari, while Carlos Sainz marked a promising start for Williams, finishing sixth. The top ten rounded out with Hadjar, George Russell, Alex Albon, and Hamilton.
Despite a relatively uneventful session, Liam Lawson from Red Bull experienced a minor spin at Tamburello. Yuki Tsunoda of AlphaTauri struggled with grip issues, finishing 17th, while returning driver Franco Colapinto settled for 18th in his Alpine.
Looking ahead, qualifying is set to commence at 4:00 PM local time for what is anticipated to be the final race at Imola for the foreseeable future.
Final Practice Results – Emilia Romagna GP
- Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1:14.897
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 1:14.997
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 1:15.078
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – [Time Not Specified]
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – [Time Not Specified]
- Carlos Sainz (Williams) – [Time Not Specified]
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – [Time Not Specified]
- George Russell (Mercedes) – [Time Not Specified]
- Alex Albon (Williams) – [Time Not Specified]
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – [Time Not Specified]
