Established for the first time as a regular event on the Formula 1 calendar, the third edition of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix marks the arrival of the Great Circus of Formula 1 to European lands, where they have been received with great enthusiasm and in praise of crowds by some ‘tifosi’ who trust their two drivers to sing victory at home again. That hasn’t happened in many years. Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imolaa circuit that today will host a World Cup race for the 30th time in its history in which anything can happen if the weather cooperates again.
At the front of the grid will not be one of the captivating red machines, but their main nemesis in the figure of Max Verstappen, which accompanied his pole position on Friday with victory in the sprint race on Saturday that gives him first place also on a physical level. The Dutchman, in need of a win after two retirements in three races, had to beat a charles leclerc that he will have to play with what he has learned these two days to try to add a third victory that consolidates his leadership in the general classification.
Carlos Sainz, in search of the lost booty
His squires will be placed just behind in the same order, with Sergio Pérez’s Red Bull in third position and Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari in fourth. The Mexican driver faces a good opportunity to show that his 2.0 version at Red Bull is fully valid to bring more joy to the team than that of a simple good second driver, an urgency that accompanies Sainz even more after his mistake in Q2 on Friday. The Spaniard, renewed this week with Ferrari, managed to climb six places on Saturday to partially correct a big mistake, of which he cannot afford many if he does not want to lose the championship train.
McLaren cars They will be the main opposition in case of failure of the leaders, confirming Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo that McLaren has returned to its own right after the hesitant start in Arab lands. The fifth position on Friday had belonged to Fernando Alonsobut the pace of the Alpine rider in the sprint race was far from ideal, and today he will have to go on the hunt for Valtteri Bottas and Kevin Magnussen from ninth position, sharing a row with a Mick Schumacher who is looking to add, now, his first points.
Has anyone seen Mercedes?
This weekend has been the worst in memory for Mercedes in the last decade. After their total absence from the top 10 in qualifying and the sprint race, today they have the last chance to make a profit in Imola, with a George Russell whose second position in the general marries little with the eleventh drawer he occupies, three ahead of an unrecognizable Lewis Hamilton. Life changes very quickly; who knows, if it rains again…