Imola Grand Prix: Norris Maintains McLaren Domination in Final Practice
Lando Norris reinforced McLaren’s competitive edge at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, finishing atop the timesheets in the final practice session with a blistering lap of 1:14.897. Teammate Oscar Piastri closely followed in second, just 0.100 seconds shy, showcasing McLaren’s strong form ahead of qualifying.
Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, the reigning world champion, concluded the session in third with a best time of 1:15.078. The session commenced under soaring temperatures, resulting in teams opting for a cautious approach early on. Lewis Hamilton led briefly but was quickly relegated as Piastri and Verstappen upped the pace. Norris emerged as the only driver to exceed Verstappen’s medium-tyre benchmark when he switched to soft tyres.
Despite an initial struggle, Verstappen rejoined the track late in the session but was unable to improve, finishing 0.181 seconds off the pace. Meanwhile, Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli claimed fourth fastest, over half a second behind the McLarens, while Hamilton could only manage tenth after a challenging session.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz rounded out the top five and sixth positions, respectively. Notably, Isack Hadjar transitioned to seventh, helping Red Bull maintain a strong presence. The session saw little disruption apart from a minor spin for Liam Lawson at Tamburello.
As the teams prepare for what may be the last competitive event at Imola for a while, qualifying starts at 4:00 PM local time, setting the stage for another exciting showdown.
