Oscar Piastri pipped Lando Norris in second practice to complete a perfect Friday for McLaren at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Piastri beat Norris by just 0.025s in another tightly contested session between the McLaren drivers with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly in a surprise third.
Mercedes’ George Russell was four tenths off the pace in fourth, just ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in sixth.
Leclerc and Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who was 11th, both bemoaned brake issues to the point that Ferrari took Hamilton’s brakes apart halfway through the session to resolve the issue.
Like the other front-running teams, Ferrari brought upgrades to their home event in Imola, including changes to the rear to help instability, but Hamilton’s 0.650s deficit to pace-setter Piastri suggests they have not made any progress.
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Ted Kravitz outlines what upgrades the teams have made at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Elsewhere, Racing Bull’s Isack Hadjar spun at the high-speed first chicane and beached his car when trying to re-join the track after nudging the barrier.
Hadjar still finished seventh from Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda in eighth ahead of Williams pair Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz.
Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli was unable to put together a clean flying lap and finished the day in 18th in his first race on home soil.
More to follow…
Sky Sports F1’s Emilia Romagna GP Schedule
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments to have taken place at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Saturday May 17
9am: f3 sprint
11:15am: Emilia Romagna GP Practice Three (session starts at 11.30am)
1.10pm: F2 Sprint
2.10pm: Emilia Romagna GP Qualifying build-up
3pm: EMILIA ROMAGNA GP QUALIFYING*
5pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday May 18
7.25am: F3 Feature Race
8.55am: F2 Feature Race
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Emilia Romagna GP build-up
2pm: The EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag: Emilia Romagna GP reaction
5pm: Ted’s Notebook
*Also live on Sky Sports Main Event
F1’s European season begins with the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
