Imola race report: Charles Leclerc P3, Carlos Sainz P5 | 2024 F1 Emilia Romagna GP. Imola race report and how Ferrari performed in front of the Tifosi.

Here is our full text transcript from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, which was held at the Imola circuit:

We’re an hour away from the formation lap, but much of the crowd have been in for hours already in the grandstands around Imola, taking in the support categories, the fan entertainment areas and, indeed, simply the iconic surroundings of this particular circuit.

In Ferrari country, red – obviously – is the colour of choice around these parts and you certainly get a true sense of F1’s heritage here at a venue that has been staging Grands Prix on and off since 1980. Ferrari haven’t won here since the circuit returned to the calendar after a 14-year absence in 2020, with Michael Schumacher’s triumph in the 2006 San Marino GP standing as the Scuderia’s most recent.

Can either Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz manage the victory today from the second row of the grid? Although qualifying disappointed, the updated SF-24 had looked quick in Friday’s race runs, so it’s not a completely fanciful prospect if they get a good start and make up some early ground on the run to the first chicane.

It’s slightly cooler than yesterday, albeit less gusty than Friday, and we know these current-generation F1 cars easily fall in and out of their respective ideal operating windows. So let’s wait and see which of the leading teams has the edge over the race distance.

Due to the high amount of time lost for making a pit stop (around 28 seconds) and the difficulty of overtaking, a one-stop strategy is the best way to go this afternoon in Imola.

Expect most drivers to start on the mediums but if you want to take a gamble, starting on the hards and running long, hoping for a timely Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car, is also an option. Red Bull are the only front-running team with two sets of new hard tyres left but this shouldn’t matter because we expect a one-stop race today.

Sky Sports F1’s Naomi Schiff on Ferrari: “It was hard to read from their reviews because Charles was disappointed but Carlos thinks the upgrades were hyped by the media. This year, they have been decent on long run pace so maybe they can turn it around. The Tifosi have been in the grandstands all morning. We got here at 9am and they were already out here, so let’s hope they can put on a show for them.”

Karun Chandhok finds Ferrari president John Elkann on the grid and asks whether the red team can win today: “Always an opportunity.” Asked about the excitement of Lewis Hamilton joining Ferrari next year, Elkann dodges the questions: “Incredibly excited. It’s a great race and we are very happy to be here.”

The formation lap is under way and it looks like everyone has left the grid cleanly. Key moments now to get the tyres and brakes up to temperature.

Lap 1/63: A brilliant start from Max Verstappen sees him hold the lead into the first chicane from Lando Norris. No change in the top six – but Lewis Hamilton is up into seventh. Not much change in the midfield either as Sergio Perez gets Daniel Ricciardo to take 10th. The RB of Yuki Tsunoda is down to ninth, so it’s not a good start for that team. Stroll and Ocon go side by side through the Tosa hairpin but avoid contact.

Lap 3/63: The top six are in the same positions as Lewis Hamilton and Nico Hulkenberg also benefit from Yuki Tsunoda’s poor start. Hamilton is in seventh, right behind Mercedes team-mate George Russell. On to the third lap already and Lando Norris is staying with Max Verstappen in these early phases, running just within DRS range. Charles Leclerc is 2s off the lead in third.

Lap 4/63: Charles Leclerc has Carlos Sainz in his DRS in the fight for third, with Oscar Piastri within one second of the Spaniard. Will Sainz ask for team orders?

Lap 5/63: It’s a 1.5-second lead for Max Verstappen now, who lapped half a second quicker than Lando Norris last time around. Leclerc can’t watch either of the top two’s pace at the moment, although remains within 1.2s of Norris with Sainz in turn on his tail.

Lap 8/63: Make that this close between second Ferrari and second McLaren right now. “Sainz has been on the radio to say he can’t shake Piastri off,” says Karun Chandhok. Leclerc has dropped the anchor ahead of him now though and Sainz no longer has DRS, with the gap 1.6s between the Ferraris.

Lap 9/63: Sainz comes on the radio and says he can’t shake Piastri off. The McLaren has definitely got pace, which is also a good sign for Lando Norris in second

Lap 10/63: The Williams had just pitted but is now running very, very slowly on track reporting a possible loose wheel. He’s made it back to the pits with all four wheels on the car’s wagon as the tyres are changed again, but that’s pretty much his race prospects done. Albon is 20th and last.

Lap 13/63: Consecutive pit stop laps at RB for first Daniel Ricciardo and then Yuki Tsunoda, who lost ground at the start. That’s pretty early. They moved on to the hard compound. Tsunoda is now 15th with Ricciardo 16th. Fernando Alonso pits for a set of hard tyres but his front left brake is on fire.

Lap 17/63: Friday currently seems a long time ago now for Max Verstappen and Red Bull. No sign of a true challenge from Lando Norris yet, as the world champion continues to extend his lead. He’s 5.2s clear of the McLaren now.

Lap 18/63: This isn’t turning out to be Sergio Perez’s finest weekend. The Mexican driver has just lost about five seconds while rally crossing across the gravel trap. He runs eighth.

Lap 21/63: Max Verstappen is six seconds in front of Lando Norris but reports his front left tyre is starting to wear out.

Lap 22/63: George Russell comes in from sixth place and comes out in 10th place behind Esteban Ocon.

Lap 24/63: And the McLaren rejoins behind Max Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez…Not ideal, although Perez of course has to pit eventually. Lap 24/63: And the McLaren rejoins behind Max Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez… Not ideal, although Perez of course has to pit eventually.

Lap 24/63: The other McLaren of Oscar Piastri now pits and comes out in eighth place in clean air too. What will Ferrari do now?

Lap 24/63: That was crucial for Lando Norris and his hopes of at least finishing second in this race. He’s taken just a lap to overtake the longer-running Red Bull of Sergio Perez after rejoining the track behind the Mexican from his stop.

Lap 25/63: In comes Max Verstappen from the lead for a set of hard tyres. Verstappen is five seconds ahead of Norris, who is flying along.

Lap 26/63: He had briefly inherited the lead, but Charles Leclerc now ducks in to the pits too. Lando Norris stays ahead of the Ferrari as Leclerc rejoins. Just Carlos Sainz, who now leads, in the other Ferrari yet to pit among the leaders.

Lap 28/63: That looked on the cars after the McLaren’s early stop and Oscar Piastri has gained position from Carlos Sainz for a net fourth in this race. Ferrari’s 2.7-service didn’t help Sainz’s cause much but the loss of position to Piastri had looked on the cards.

Lap 30/63: Most drivers have done what should be their one and only pit stop. Max Verstappen leads by six seconds from Lando Norris, who is three seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc. Oscar Piastri is going for it again as he is within one second of Leclerc. Sergio Perez hasn’t pitted and is holding up Carlos Sainz, with George Russell, Lance Stroll (yet to pit), Lewis Hamilton and Kevin Magnussen (yet to pit) rounding out the top 10.

Lap 35/64: Lando Norris says he has “no pace” after his race engineer suggests that Leclerc behind him, seemingly, is using up his hard tyres more than he is. Norris’ advantage over Leclerc for second place is 2.8s.

Lap 37/63: Lewis Hamilton finally gets past Sergio Perez around the outside at the first chicane. Perez covered a lap earlier to keep seventh place but Hamilton cruises around the outside this time. Having dropped well over two seconds off the leading pace on his well-worn tyres, Sergio Perez has now swapped them for a brand new set of mediums. He rejoins in 11th place, and should easily get into the points from there, but it’ll be interesting to see what his pace is like in the final 25 laps. He’s got Ricciardo first up the road and then Hulkenberg. Stroll and Magnussen have also come in for their first stops.

Lap 43/63: Sergio Perez breezes by Yuki Tsunoda but the next car ahead is Lewis Hamilton at 29 seconds in front.

Lap 43/63: And the battle behind Verstappen now looks as close as this. They have still been lapping slower cars, which hasn’t played out particularly well for Norris, but Leclerc appears to have the faster car under him right now on the hard tyres. The gap is now under ONE SECOND meaning Leclerc has DRS. Carlos Sainz is also now lapping quicker than fourth-placed Oscar Piastri.

Lap 45/63: Charles Leclerc is just stuck at that 0.8s-1s gap behind Lando Norris. Both drivers are really pushing hard but Leclerc isn’t close enough to make a move yet.

Lap 48/63: Charles Leclerc cuts the Variante Chicane and drops out of the DRS zone. It feels like Lando Norris has done enough to keep Leclerc behind, for now.

Lap 50/63: Running around half a minute off the race lead in sixth and seventh positions, George Russell has reported on Mercedes team radio in recent laps that he’s starting to struggle a bit with his tyres. His lead over team-mate Lewis Hamilton is 5.2 seconds but the latter has been lapping a little quicker over recent laps.

Lap 53/63: And it’s George Russell who pits for the mediums! He comes out ahead of Sergio Perez, so Russell is now in seventh and Hamilton is sixth.

Lap 55/63: Max Verstappen was given a black-and-white flag for track limits earlier in the race, so one more wide moment could mean a penalty. Norris is only 3.5 seconds behind now! Lando Norris has suddenly started eating in to Max Verstappen’s lead and the race lead is down to just 2.5 seconds!

Lap 57/63: Max Verstappen isn’t happy with Yuki Tsunoda, who holds him up slightly at the Tosa hairpin. Norris is now within two seconds of the Dutchman! Who saw this coming?

Lap 61/63: Norris a tenth quicker on the latest lap but he’s running out of time. Just 1.4s split the leaders. Remember, Verstappen needs to be careful of track limits. One more and he may get a penalty.

Lap 63/63: No more DRS for the leaders but Norris is finally within one second of Verstappen. It might just be too late with half a lap to go…

Chequered flag: Wow, that was a close run thing in the end! Max Verstappen JUST holds on to beat Lando Norris to win in the Emilia Romagna GP. Norris really chased Verstappen over the line with the final gap just 0.7 seconds. Charles Leclerc takes the final podium berth for Ferrari, 7.9s adrift.

Oscar Piastri is fourth in the second McLaren ahead of the other Ferrari of Carlos Sainz in fifth. After George Russell’s second pit stop, Lewis Hamilton stays in sixth ahead of his team-mate. It’s eighth for Sergio Perez, ninth for Lance Stroll and 10th for Yuki Tsunoda.