Imola FP1 goes to Oscar piastri. Not even on the banks of the Santerno does the balance of power within the world championship seem to change. McLaren confirms what was shown in Miami, and is called to repeat itself also at the historic racetrack named after Enzo and Dino Ferrari. The latter and Mercedes try to chase, but on the first and very short race pace simulations both teams seem to be quite far from the papayas. A session almost entirely dedicated to the study of the C6 mix. Debut, then, of Franco Colapinto this season, who replaced Doohan in Alpine.
In FP1 at Imola the soft C6 tyre was the star right away
The green light at the end of the pit lane has turned on: FP1 at Imola begins with Sainz and Ocon the first to take to the track. The choice of tyres made by most of the drivers was also unusual, with the choice of going directly onto the track with the soft tyres. This is because Pirelli, for the first time this season, has brought the tyres to C6 mix, used very little by the teams even during the Bahrain tests. It will be important to understand how these tyres work to prepare well for qualifying. An obligation, among other things, that is preferably used for Ferrari is worth a little more, as this year it has proven to be particularly uncompetitive on a single lap.
Hamilton and Leclerc are using the first fifteen minutes of FP1 in Imola to make the most of the C6. The Monegasque, among other things, has made some mistakes: first going long at the mineral waters and committing a impeding towards Alonso, that will not be sanctioned by the FIA. And then, during a fast lap, with a slip-up exiting the high variant. In addition, Ferrari has brought some slight updates, already announced in Miami by Vasseur, on the rear of the car. In particular, making changes to the wheel corner, with the aim of better managing the temperatures inside the basket, precisely, on the wheels.
Meanwhile, after twenty minutes, the best time belongs to George Russell, always using the C6 tyre. Behind him, half a second behind, Lando Norris and, a little further away, Yuki Tsunoda. Also worth mentioning is the fifth time of the Sauber of Bortoleto, with the Brazilian however turning on medium tyre. After the first attempts on red rubber, finally, many drivers returned to the pits to fit a new set of C6 tyres, in order to gain even more confidence with this new compound. Antonelli improved in third, Sainz and Albon, respectively in fourth and fifth position. The teams chose to fit a new set of tires because, being very soft, they can offer the maximum potential for six or seven laps.
Franco Colapinto makes his debut in Alpine in Imola
Interesting time recorded by Pierre Gasly on medium tyres. In fact, the Frenchman, with almost half an hour to go, managed to conquer second position, just three tenths away from George Russell's best time. The other part of Gasly's box, however, this time It is not occupied by Jack Doohan, but from Franco Colapinto. FP1 at Imola therefore saw his debut in the 2025 season, with many of his compatriots flocking to the circuit to support him. With twenty-five minutes to go, Colapinto is in fourteenth position, conquered using medium tires.
Meanwhile, at Villeneuve the Argentine was the protagonist of a small impeding against tsunoda, with the Japanese who did not fail to show his dissent as only he knows how. Speaking of Red Bull, its drivers also took to the track at the start of the session with C6 tyres, trying to best interpret both the new compound and some updates brought for the GP. In fact, during the FP1 in Imola, the Austrian team is testing some changes made to the belliesThe opening of the latter is slightly narrower, under which a flow diverter. The aim, therefore, is to manage the airflow that faces the car differently.
The two McLarens at the top of the timesheets
FP1 at Imola continues to be almost entirely dedicated to understanding the C6 tyre. George Russell is testing his race pace on the soft tyres. The same goes for the two McLarens, who however, with twenty minutes to go, have taken the lead in the timesheets. First Oscar Piastri, followed by Lando Norris. Confirmed, for now, the speed demonstrated in this championship by Williams, with Sainz managing to take third place.
Even Ferrari, in the last ten minutes, is trying a race pace simulation on C6 mix. The laps of Leclerc they seem to be positioned halfway between the very fast pace of McLaren and the more moderate one of Mercedes. The two Ferrari drivers, among other things, seem to have been unable (or unwilling) to complete a fast qualifying lap without setting limits. Lewis Hamilton's best was fifth place behind George Russell, while Leclerc has been stuck in twelfth place for almost half the session. At the same time, in FP1 at Imola, Red Bull focused more on qualifying.
With two minutes to go, however, the session was interrupted by a red flag. The cause was Franco Colapinto's Sauber, who with Rivazza slightly touched the sand on the outside of the curve and, after suffering what is called the "pendulum effect", lost control of his car, thus ending his tests against the barriers. The two McLarens thus ended at the top of the timesheets: Piastres first with a 1:16.545, followed by 32 thousandths away from Land Norris.
