F1 Imola GP LIVE: Race start time as Piastri qualifies on pole after Hamilton disaster

Emilia Romagna Grand Prix preview ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s first race in Italy for Ferrari

Oscar Piastri claimed pole position in a dramatic qualifying session for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola as Lewis Hamilton suffered an early exit in his first home race for Ferrari and Yuki Tsunoda walked away from a major crash.

Piastri delivered a flawless lap when it mattered to beat Max Verstappen’s time by just 0.034 seconds, after the Dutchman surged to the top of the charts in pursuit of a third successive pole.

FEATURE: Welcome to Maranello, Ferrari’s hometown where history weighs heavy on F1’s greatest team

Lando Norris could manage only fourth for McLaren – over three tenths off the pole pace – after being edged out at the last by George Russell, who will start from third for Mercedes.

Hamilton had expressed excitement and expectation ahead of his first home race weekend as a Ferrari driver but his Saturday ended in bitter disappointment after he was knocked out in the second part of qualifying.

When is the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix?

All times BST

Sunday 18 May

Race: 2pm

(Getty Images)

Kieran Jackson17 May 2025 17:55

6 hours ago

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff absent from Imola GP for touching personal reason

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff will be absent from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix due to his son graduating from college this weekend.

Wolff’s 23-year-old eldest son Benedict, one of his children from his previous marriage, is graduating from the University of Southern California and the Austrian executive has decided to stay in the United States.

Mercedes team representative Bradley Lord, Wolff’s long-term right-hand man, will take on the Austrian’s duties in the garage and with the press.

(Getty)

Kieran Jackson18 May 2025 01:02

7 hours ago

Lewis Hamilton in honest self-reflection in media day on Thursday:

One top-five finish, seventh in the championship – it’s not been the start to the season desired for Lewis Hamilton.

“I anticipated it would be very tough, because I’ve joined a team before,” Hamilton said, referencing his move from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013, in his session with the written press at Imola on Thursday.

“I came in with a really open mind. I didn’t know how tough it was going to be. I knew it was going to be challenging.

“It’s as challenging as it could ever be. On all fronts.”

(Getty)

Kieran Jackson18 May 2025 00:02

8 hours ago

George Russell after qualifying P3:

“We were going for it, we thought the medium tyre would be a fast one – a good choice. A small compromise for tomorrow but worth it to be in the top-three.

“It was very challenging, really happy with P3 – couldn’t have achieved much more today. We want to get back on the podium tomorrow.”

Kieran Jackson17 May 2025 22:59

9 hours ago

Max Verstappen’s reaction when seeing Yuki Tsunoda’s crash:

Verstappen: “Jesus, is he really OK?”

Yuki Tsunoda suffered a massive crash in qualifying (F1 TV )

Kieran Jackson17 May 2025 22:01

10 hours ago

Charles Leclerc after qualifying P11:

“You can always do a bit more with a lap, but we are just nowhere at the moment,” Leclerc said.

“There’s not enough performance in the car, I keep repeating myself. We need to be better.

“Very hard [for the race], I can fight as much as I want but I cannot do miracles. This is what there is in the car, I’m trying to extract the maximum out of it.”

Kieran Jackson17 May 2025 21:02

11 hours ago

Lando Norris admits he’s making too many mistakes

After finishing P4 in qualifying, Norris said: “I made a lot of mistakes, it is just never good enough in my final lap in qualifying,” Norris said.

“Everyone always goes quicker, and I go slower, so it is just not good enough. [There is nothing wrong] with the car, it is on pole and the best car on track.

“I am not just going to blame the car, it is on me. I’ve felt good all weekend, I felt good in Q1 and Q2, and I felt like there was lap time available.

“But when I try to go for the lap time, it just doesn’t go. A lot of things have changed from last year, and in my whole career, qualifying has been my biggest strength by a long way.

“But this year, it is just not coming my way, and I think we understand the reasons why, but of course, I am not going to be the happiest about it, because I want to be fighting for pole, and things are not going the way they should.”

(PA)

Kieran Jackson17 May 2025 20:01

12 hours ago

FULL STARTING GRID:

1. Oscar Piastri

2. Max Verstappen

3. George Russell

4. Lando Norris

5. Fernando Alonso

6. Carlos Sainz

7. Alex Albon

8. Lance Stroll

9. Isack Hadjar

10. Pierre Gasly

11. Charles Leclerc

12. Lewis Hamilton

13. Kimi Antonelli

14. Gabriel Bortoleto

15. Liam Lawson

16. Franco Colapinto*

17. Nico Hulkenberg

18. Esteban Ocon

19. Ollie Bearman

20. Yuki Tsunoda

*Franco Colapinto received a one-place grid penalty for an infringement in qualifying

Kieran Jackson17 May 2025 18:59

12 hours ago

Lewis Hamilton ‘devastated’ after Ferrari qualifying failure at Imola GP

Lewis Hamilton admitted he was “devastated” after suffering another blow in his first season at Ferrari, who suffered a new low in a captivating qualifying session at the Emilia Romagna GP.

Hamilton, who admitted this week he wasn’t expecting his first season at Ferrari to be so “tough”, and teammate Charles Leclerc missed the opportunity to fight for pole in Imola, with both drivers knocked out of contention in Q2.

The pair will start alongside each other on the grid for Sunday’s race, with Leclerc a place ahead in 11th and Hamilton in 12th.

Full report below:

Lewis Hamilton ‘devastated’ after Ferrari qualifying failure at Imola GP

Both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were knocked out in Q2 in front of Ferrari’s Italian fans while McLaren’s championship leader Oscar Piastri took pole position for Sunday’s race

Kieran Jackson17 May 2025 18:30