2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix – Race Preview

The stage is set at Imola for what promises to be a thrilling Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri will lead the field from pole position after a stunning qualifying session that saw drama, crashes, and surprises throughout the grid.

Qualifying Recap

Oscar Piastri secured pole with a blistering lap of 1:14.670, narrowly beating Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by just 0.034 seconds. It marks Piastri’s third pole of the season as he aims for a fifth win in seven races.

The top 10 on the grid are:

1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

3. George Russell (Mercedes)

4. Lando Norris (McLaren)

5. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

6. Carlos Sainz (Williams)

7. Alex Albon (Williams)

8. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

9. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)

10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

Ferrari suffered a disappointing qualifying at their home circuit. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton will start from 11th and 12th, respectively, while rookie Kimi Antonelli could only manage 13th.

Incidents and Crashes

Qualifying was interrupted by two red flags caused by major crashes:

Yuki Tsunoda flipped his Red Bull at the Villeneuve Chicane during Q1. He was fortunately unhurt, but the incident halted the session for barrier repairs.

Franco Colapinto, making his Formula 1 debut for Alpine, crashed at Tamburello. Like Tsunoda, he escaped injury.

Earlier in the weekend, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly struck a large rabbit during FP1, causing damage to his car’s front wing and floor. Despite the unusual incident, the team managed to get the car back in running condition.

Race Outlook

With McLaren locking out pole and fourth, they look poised to challenge Red Bull once again. Verstappen, starting second, will be determined to reclaim the top step of the podium. George Russell in third gives Mercedes a real shot at mixing it up at the front.

Ferrari’s struggles mean they’ll have to fight through traffic to deliver a strong result in front of the passionate Tifosi. Expect aggressive strategies from both Leclerc and Hamilton.

The 2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix gets underway at 9:00 AM Eastern Time on Sunday, May 18. With a tightly packed field and plenty of storylines, it’s shaping up to be a race you won’t want to miss.