In the last round before the sprint qualification, an unexpected name ends up at the top – probably for certain reasons. However, the order for the sprint was fixed beforehand.
Mercedes driver George Russell surprisingly achieved the best time during the dress rehearsal for the first sprint of the Formula 1 season (from 4:30 p.m. in the live ticker on t-online). The Englishman needed 1:19.457 minutes for his best lap in the second free practice session in Imola.
However, the bare lap times left question marks. The teams tested different tires and programs, especially the top racing teams Ferrari and Red Bull seemed less interested in a fast lap.
Second place went to the Mexican Sergio Perez in the Red Bull (+0.081 seconds), third at the Ferrari home game was the celebrated world championship leader Charles Leclerc (Monaco / +0.283). Record world champion Lewis Hamilton (England) in the second Mercedes followed in fourth (+0.535). To put things in context: In qualifying on Friday, the Silver Arrows only managed eleventh and 13th place on the grid for the sprint. For the first time since the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix, both Mercedes missed out on Q3.
In 2022 there will be more points in the sprint
World champion Max Verstappen secured pole position, and the Red Bull driver finished the last free practice session in seventh place (+0.914). Mick Schumacher in the Haas was 13th (+1.520), ex-world champion Sebastian Vettel in the Aston Martin finished 15th, 1.698 seconds behind Russell. Vettel is ninth in the sprint, Schumacher is twelfth on the grid.
Compared to the partly rainy Friday, the track was completely dry, so the drivers began to gain relevant experience for the rest of the race weekend. A great setting is guaranteed: Ferrari’s recent successes ensured that the grandstands were crowded and mostly bathed in red along the 4.909 km long traditional route.
The 21-lap sprint in the afternoon is not just about determining the starting order for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday, Formula 1 has also upgraded the format significantly. The winner now receives eight instead of three World Championship points, and there are points for the first eight drivers to cross the finish line. This means that the sprints – more are planned in Spielberg and Sao Paulo – are also gaining in importance for the title fight.
Before the fourth race of the season (Sunday from 3 p.m. in the live ticker on t-online), Leclerc is clearly leading the drivers’ championship with 71 points. Verstappen, who has one win and two failures, is sixth and 46 points behind.