Max seventh in Imola FP1

Published on 16 May 2025 by Stefan Meens

Max Verstappen finished seventh fastest in the opening practice session of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. Oscar Piastri lapped the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari quickest. McLaren teammate Lando Norris was second ahead of Williams’ Carlos Sainz.

FP1 sees the return of Franco Colapinto onto the F1 grid with the Argentinian replacing Jack Doohan at Alpine. The session gets underway in sunny conditions with a mild ambient temperature of eighteen degrees Celcius. As the pitlane opens, most drivers are keen to take to the Imola circuit with Oliver Bearman the first to clock a time in the Haas.

Max’s first lap is good enough for third place, but as the times tumble, the Dutchman returns to the garage. A third of the way into the session, the reigning champion reemerges from the pit, by which point he has dropped to eighteenth.

On his first flying lap on the soft Pirelli tyre, the C6, he climbs back to tenth, before dropping down the order again. It’s not until the halfway point of the session that Max is among the pace setters. His fastest lap of the session propels him to second, before a lengthy stay in the garage as the team alter the RB21s, set-up.

When Max reappears with fifteen minutes left on the clock, he reports: “I can’t rely on the rear of the car, it feels like I’m drifting everywhere.” The Oracle Red Bull Racing driver does not better his time and has to settle for P7.

The session ends under a red flag; Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto has crashed at Rivazza with two minutes left, dully stopping the session early.

Contest Imola GP: win a by Max Verstappen signed Red Bull Racing 2025 cap!

Results first free practice Emilia-romagna: