Free practice saw Ferrari and Kimi Antonelli in good form on race pace. Friday offered valuable indications ahead of Sunday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at the Imola circuit, but the two Ferrari cars ended the first day with mixed feelings. The potential over a single lap remains below expectations, while in high-fuel simulation the SF-25 is decidedly more competitive and on par with McLaren.
McLaren less dominant compared to Miami
Looking at long-run performance, Charles Leclerc showed a pace similar to Oscar Piastri’s, confirming that in race trim the Ferrari is competitive. With a full tank, the Monegasque driver is better able to exploit load transfer, working within a more favourable window for the dampers. Telemetry highlights Charles Leclerc’s aggressive approach, showing good control during traction phases on corner exit.
On the main straight, he loses an average of 12 kilometers per hour compared to Lewis Hamilton: a delta that may be due to various factors, including slipstream effects, different engine mappings, or less aggressive engine deployment. Moreover, it is noted that on the main straight, Charles Leclerc also lags an average of 12 kilometers per hour behind his Maranello teammate. On the other side of the garage, Hamilton struggled more than his teammate under braking.
Nevertheless, he managed to exploit traction better, gaining time on corner exit. The setup used during the simulation improved aerodynamic load and, as a result, the Briton’s driving confidence. Oscar Piastri, on the other hand, was very effective in traction zones, performing around three tenths better than Lando Norris. The Australian set the best time exiting Tosa, thanks to a particularly efficient car on the straights.
Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton were the fastest just before the braking zone at Turn 1. Very promising signs also came from Kimi Antonelli, who completed a very solid race simulation. The Bologna-born driver lapped at times similar to Norris, proving more consistent than his teammate and showing more confidence on race pace than on a single lap. Antonelli stood out particularly in exits from medium-speed corners such as Villeneuve and Tamburello.
Leclerc suffers from graining, Verstappen struggles
The negatives of the day came from Red Bull, with Max Verstappen never managing to get to grips with his RB20. The Dutchman complained all day about excessive oversteer, a clear sign of rear-end instability. With a higher ride height, the RB21 suffers significantly in high-fuel simulation.
This compromises aerodynamic efficiency: airflow speed in the diffuser drops, downforce is reduced, and the car becomes twitchy at the rear. As shown by the data, Max Verstappen never matched the pace of his direct rivals, consistently running at a slower pace — clear evidence that something isn’t working properly.
Another key aspect that emerged from simulations was tyre degradation management. Charles Leclerc pushed hard in the middle phase of the stint, but ended up triggering significant graining that he was unable to clear. His lap times began to rise after just the third lap. Lewis adopted a more conservative approach, maintaining a steadier and less aggressive pace without suffering the same graining issue.
Antonelli the most consistent on race pace
Once again, the standouts in this area were Oscar Piastri and Kimi Antonelli. Oscar posted the best times at the start of his stint, also suffering from graining mid-stint, but unlike the Ferrari driver, he managed to recover in the final part. Antonelli, however, was the most consistent: he gradually improved his lap times until mid-stint, before encountering the natural tyre wear of the compound.
For the Maranello team, simulator work was essential to find the right compromise between qualifying and race setups. The issues affecting single-lap performance must not overshadow the positive signs seen on race pace. Especially on a track like Imola, where overtaking is difficult, starting as far ahead as possible will be crucial in aiming for the podium.
The tyre degradation seen on Imola Friday didn’t appear particularly high, despite Pirelli bringing softer compounds than last season. Everything suggests that a one-stop strategy might not be so unrealistic after all, making tyre management even more critical and, as a result, limiting the strategic variables available to the teams.
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