Leclerc and Sainz, were ahead before qualifying

Ferrari started the first of its local appointments in the best way possible. Sa Imolawithin Enzo and Dino Ferrari racetrackOnly 70 kilometers from its factory Maranellotwo red cars started the Emilia Romagna GP taking the top two positions in the first and only free training sessions before the qualifying session will take place this Friday (5:00 pm). Ferrari was the favorite for a dry test, but the best news for the transalpines came in conjunction with the rain: it was confirmed that their car was also fast in the wet, something that in ‘Scuderia of the Prancing Horse’ they cannot breastfeed for many years. The Ferrari will go, rain, snow or shine. And so, Charleswho dominated FP1, and Carlos, the favorites took pole position this afternoon.

The rain is expected to definitely stop at exactly 5:00 pm, with the ‘qualy’ starting gunshot. There, the battle can be more exciting than ever. It paints that clock fighting can be on intermediate wheels in very fine conditions, and that, on an old-style track, which leaves little room for mistakes, is none other than synonymous with emotion.

So far, the FP1 Sainz, recently renewed, is very competitive and much less hesitant than Charles with up to three laps, luckily for him, without damaging the car. The Spaniard overtook Monegasque on his last attempt, but Leclerc responded in the final third lap, which was done later, where he closed the session at the top. The battle between the comrades serves. Carlos wants his first pole. He broke him in the first three races. More and more comfortable in his Ferrari, this Spaniard wants his day. This will be the best way to make up for his unlucky weekend in Australia. A pole that will give him first place on the starting grid of the sprint race this Saturday, which will serve as the grid order on Sunday.

The question is whether Verstappen can do anything to fight the red cars. The Dutchman expects his fuel system reliability problems to go away once and for all, but it will be harder for him to contend with Ferraris. He can’t do it in Australia and he warns that in Imola it will be more complicated.

Alonzo, 7th

Alpine debuted in Fernando Alonso’s car a new, lighter, flat bottom, which should be a step forward for the A522. However, the rain came at the worst time for the Gauls. This prevented the man from Oviedo from trying this new element as appropriate and he was able to retrieve the basic data. It’s never easy to mount a new element in the water and that’s how the guy from Oviedo closed the session in seventh place, behind two Haas (magnnussen was 4th and Mick Schumacher was 5th) and Pérez (6th).

In favor of the man from Oviedo, his hands, capable of making a difference if the track is in very difficult sorting conditions. Rain can give more emotions not only in the central zone. You can still do all this and give this Saturday’s sprint race a special grid order.

Hamilton needs to improve a lot if he doesn’t want to have a lot of ‘qualy’ problems. The Englishman, who has a Mercedes with some new stuff, is 18th, struggling hard to put the intermediate tires at the right temperature. 10th is his partner. Lewis started on the wrong foot another weekend that seemed uphill for the 7-time champion.