Imola GP

Imola GP: Third practice – LIVE from 12.30pm

Oscar Piastri set the fastest time in the third Imola practice session.(Bild: AP/Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

McLaren and Ferrari impressed in the third practice session at Imola! Oscar Piastri set the fastest time ahead of his team-mate Lando Norris. They were followed by Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc. World championship leader Max Verstappen was only sixth. His Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) both crashed. Qualifying is on the program at 4 pm.

The series of spins into the gravel continued on Saturday. Alonso lost control of his Aston Martin at the Rivazza and skidded into the barriers, temporarily interrupting the session. However, the two-time world champion quickly gave the all-clear and was able to get out of his car on his own. Alonso then underwent a mandatory medical examination.

A few minutes before the end of the one-hour session, Perez was also caught out. The Mexican slid into the gravel in the Alta variant and demolished the front wing of his Red Bull. Red flags were waved again, but the session was restarted.

Here is the result in detail:

Verstappen still has a lot of room for improvement at Imola. "It was difficult to find a good balance, I just didn't feel really comfortable in the car," the 26-year-old complained after the first two sessions and finally seventh place on Friday. With gallows humor, he added: "I don't think it can get any worse." But things didn't get much better on Saturday afternoon.

Marko: "We're not good enough yet"
"We are better on the long runs than yesterday. But our car is still nervous on a single lap. We have made a step forward, we are better, but not yet good enough," said Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko immediately after the session.

Helmut Marko(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Ferrari brought a major update package to the Emiglia-Romagna Grand Prix, the first race of the season in Europe. Verstappen leads the championship standings ahead of the seventh GP of the season on Sunday (15:00) with a 33-point advantage over his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez. Leclerc is 38 points behind in third place.