FP1 Telemetry Imola: Strong Start for McLaren, Plenty of Work for the Others
The papaya team – dominant at the start of this season – began strongly again in the first free practice session at Imola.
The first free practice session at Imola highlighted a McLaren that was not only immediately quick but also precise and perhaps even easier to drive than usual, offering some interesting indications about the qualities of the Woking car.
The bumps and unevenness of the Imola asphalt force all teams to raise the ride height of their cars, which in turn makes on-track running essential to find the right balance between ride height, mechanical stiffness, and more. Definitive feedback usually comes only after running on track.
McLaren’s strong performance right from the start showcases several of the Woking team’s strengths. The MCL39, in addition to clearly showing solid preparation, appears less sensitive to ride height changes, able to generate downforce even with visibly softer suspension setups (as seen in Miami). This is likely thanks to a high-energy aerodynamic package that not only produces significant downforce but also delivers stability, making the car less susceptible to oscillations, porpoising, and other disturbances compared to the competition. The weekend is still in its early stages, and with two more free practice sessions ahead, Piastri and Norris will likely face increasing pressure, but such a strong start under these conditions is technically significant.
The others working to find the perfect compromise
Among the competitors, there was clearly a lot of effort spent trying to find the right balance. Red Bull in particular worked heavily on longitudinal setup, trying to balance both axles. Max Verstappen was generally happy with grip, but frequently shifted between understeer and a loose rear end, depending on the run. Mercedes appeared to focus more on finding the right mechanical compromise, working across multiple areas, including aerodynamics, ride heights, and setup details aimed at managing tire temperatures. All teams concentrated heavily on the soft tire, with the new C6 compound making its debut and drawing the attention of everyone.
Looking at the fastest lap data of the top four teams, McLaren stands out with a relatively conservative engine mode, confirming their initial advantage over the rest. Surprisingly, Lewis Hamilton’s performance stood out as well, with the seven-time world champion starting the weekend with a decent feeling in the car, even though the overall pace was low for everyone in the first session. Lewis Hamilton’s data showed strong first and second sectors, with consistently aggressive corner entries—perhaps a reflection of braking difficulties in stopping the car—but effective in terms of lap time.
Good performances were recorded at Tosa and Piratella, which is particularly surprising since Lewis Hamilton usually struggles with medium-speed corners. Rivazza, however, is where McLaren truly shines, with good balance and tires still in the right operating window. It’s also where Hamilton struggled the most, losing time and ultimately finishing fourth due to the delay in the final double turn of the Italian track. During the lap, Ferrari showed a notable gain in the downhill stretch between Piratella and Acque Minerali, a section where the car seemed to find a solid aerodynamic and mechanical balance.
Relative performances – FP2 will be key
Overall, these values seem to reflect a session where teams were experimenting and not yet pushing hard. It’s therefore particularly difficult to draw realistic conclusions about on-track performance. We’ll need to wait for FP2 to understand how the work is progressing and what the balance of power looks like after initial setup adjustments.
