There is less and less until the start of the first European Grand Prix of this Formula 1 season, the fourth round of the world championship. Imola is a special stage for all fans of this sport, and it can already be understood from the excitement of the public which in these hours is reaching the racetrack and every corner of the city in fleets, alive and ready for the big party.
There are several variables in this spring weekend in Imola. First of all, the presence, on Saturday, of the first of the three Sprint races scheduled for 2022: the 100 km mini-race which will decide the starting grid for Sunday's Grand Prix and which will award points for the top 8 classified. Another important variable will be the rain. In fact, the teams have decided not to introduce important updates as the weather is rather uncertain and brings rain especially on Friday, in which, again due to the Sprint format, there will be only one free practice session to test the behavior of the single-seater on the track, before entering the parc fermé regime which introduces qualifying.
Old school track, gravel, grass and which tests the driving skills and courage of the riders, fast but very demanding, with many curves and variations that surround the green hills of Emilia. The Imola Grand Prix, which returned to the Formula 1 calendar in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid, gave two great, unpredictable and exciting races on both occasions.
But let's see what the forecast awaits us at Imola!
Safety Car and Virtual Safety Car in the race
We have said that Imola is a demanding track, and not everyone is comfortable with single-seaters yet. In addition, you have to keep your eyes fixed on the sky because with the rain, especially if unexpected, the chances of seeing a crazy race would increase. At the moment the forecasts seem to give us a dry race on Sunday, but the situation could change at any moment.
Our prediction advice is YES, there will be a Safety Car in the race.
Our prediction advice is YES, there will be VSC in the race.
Red flag in the race
Overtaking is quite difficult and the track is narrow in many places and offers no redemption possibilities. Quick changes of direction, challenging and varied braking. Imola is as unpredictable as the weather, however for Sunday the chances of rain are reducing, and therefore we also believe that we will see the first red flag of the season.
Our advice on forecasting is therefore NO, there will be no red flag in the race
Drivers unmark wet/full wet tires in the race
The latest weather forecast says that we will see cloudy skies on Saturday and rain on Friday, but that it shouldn't rain on Sunday except in the morning. Keep an eye on the forecasts and, if necessary, make your choice just before the start of qualifying which, remember, will start on Friday at 17:00!
Even if it would in any case be a gamble, we still recommend NO, the drivers will not unmark wet/full wet tires in the race
Team double in the race
In 2020, Mercedes scored a double in Imola. In 2021, however, it was Max Verstappen who won, followed by Lewis Hamilton who reached the podium with a sensational comeback after an off-track excursion in the race. Charles and Max are the two main contenders for victory but the redhead wants to fill Imola with enthusiasm, and giving the fans a brace in the first "home" race of the season, which cannot be ruled out. The renewal of Sainz could give a further stimulus to the Spaniard who wants to get back into the game after the out in Australia.
Our prediction advice is YES, there will be one-two in the race
Driver who starts on pole wins the race
It's not very common to see the poleman win at Imola. The last two GPs have seen another rider on the top step of the podium, compared to the one who set the fastest lap. With the sprint race in the middle, the poleman will statistically be the one to set the fastest lap on Friday and therefore he will necessarily have to cross the finish line on Sunday to make the bonus count.
Our prediction advice is NO, the driver who starts from pole will not win the race
Number of teams to bring both riders into the top 10
We believe that at Imola, thanks to the lack of important updates and the values in the middle of the standings that we have seen in these first races, the gap between some teams will be less important and that therefore several of these will be able to relaunch themselves and place both drivers in the top 10.
Our prediction recommendation is 3.
Number of cars forced to retire during the race
Reliability, accidents, driver errors there are several reasons to believe that Imola will be fatal for some drivers. We also believe this time that the number could be around 3.
Our forecast recommendation is 3
