On paper, it may look like Max Verstappen was on cruise control in Imola, but it was a tough outing for the defending champion. After winning his maiden Formula 1 grand prix in Miami, McLaren’s Lando Norris was rearing to go and make it a double. The race gods in Imola may have smiled at Charles Leclerc, but it was a nightmare for double-world champion Fernando Alonso. We press the rewind button and highlight the winners and the losers at the 2024 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen: Hard-fought victory
Believe it or not, it was a tough and challenging race weekend for both Verstappen and Red Bull. On Friday Free Practice, the three-world champion was noticeably struggling with pace as the team wasn’t able to get the right setup. As things got slightly better on qualifying day, Verstappen showed why he’s the most sought-after racer on the grid as he stormed to the pole with the most slender 0.091 seconds advantage over Norris.
On race day, he managed to take an early lead and with Imola offering limited overtaking opportunities, Verstappen kept his cool and took the chequered flag. In the closing session, there was a late charge by Norris as Verstappen was struggling with pace as the hard compound tyres lacked any grip. In the end, the flying Dutchman kept the McLaren racer at bay and took top honours.Â
McLaren: The best from the rest
The Englishman showcased both his and McLaren’s credentials as they were close to winning back-to-back wins. Both Oscar Piastri and Norris strongly qualified second and third respectively, showing the car’s race-winning potential. Unfortunately for Piastri, he has been handed a three-grid penalty for blocking Haas’ Kevin Magnussen in qualifying. At the dying session of the race, Norris started clocking lightning-fast lap times to eat into Verstappen’s lead. In the end, the McLaren man finished 0.725 seconds behind the race winner. This is the third podium finish for Norris including winning the Miami Grand Prix. Piastri also did his part as he finished fourth and collected important 12 points for the team.
Yuki Tsunoda: The Flying Samurai
Yuki Tsunoda had a good outing at Imola as he continued to get the better of his teammate Daniel Ricciardo. The Japanese racer lit up the track with some quick laps in Practice 1 and Practice 2 sessions, but the best result came in qualifying as the RB showed some serious pace as Tsunoda took seventh place on the grid. Due to a slow start, he had to settle for tenth place. He continues to score vital points for the team and is currently tenth in the driver’s championship list.
Fernando Alonso: A nightmare outing
Sadly, Imola was Fernando Alonso’s worst race in the 2024 season as he couldn’t score a single point. Despite Aston Martin updating its car, the two-time world champion crashed in Free Practice 3. To make matters worse, he clocked the slowest time in qualifying and started from the back of the grid. The Spaniard ended up finishing 19th in the race. There was some ray of hope for the Aston Martin as Lance Stroll was finally able to turn the page as he finished ninth in the race after qualifying 13th.
Ferrari: Average at best
It was a mixed-bag weekend for Ferrari as Charles Leclerc finished third and bagged 15 points, but as a whole the team couldn’t answer to the pace of Red Bull and McLaren. A lot was expected from the Scuderia this year, but the lack of consistency is hurting the team.
Carlos Sainz voiced his disappointment over Ferrari’s Energy Recovering System (ERS) and some aerodynamic issues which the Spaniard believes was the reason why he was 15 seconds behind his teammate. There was some good news as Leclerc continues to finish top four in all the races so far in 2024. Hence, with 113 points, the Monegasque is second in the driver’s championship table.
