2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix FP1 Results and Surprises
The Old Circuit, New Stories
Imola. The name alone conjures ghosts and glory—Senna, Schumacher, and the ever-present specter of gravel traps that punish the greedy. Today, as the 2025 Formula 1 circus rolled into the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari for Free Practice 1, the air was thick with anticipation, pollen, and, as it turned out, more than a little controversy.
The European season opener is always a litmus test. The teams have had their flyaway fun; now, the real business begins. Upgrades arrive, pressure mounts, and the paddock’s collective patience for PR platitudes wears thin. And, as ever, Imola delivered—on drama, on surprises, and on the kind of unpredictability that makes old hacks like me keep coming back.
Winds of Change: The Weather and the Whirlwind
Let’s start with the basics. The session began under clear skies, but with the kind of gusty winds that make engineers reach for their stress balls. Forecasts had warned of 30+ kph gusts, and the drivers felt every bit of it. Imola’s narrow ribbon of tarmac, bordered by grass and gravel, is unforgiving at the best of times. Add wind, and you have a recipe for “track limits” warnings and more than a few agricultural excursions.
The wind played havoc with setups and confidence.
Jolyon Palmer once said:
Imola is a fantastic circuit. It’s punishing—short run-offs of grass and gravel—so there’s not a lot of room for error.
Today, that margin was even thinner.
Read the full circuit preview and stats
The Times: McLaren’s Relentless March
If you were hoping for a shake-up at the sharp end, you’ll have to wait. McLaren’s form is, to borrow from the classics, “inevitable.” Oscar Piastri, fresh from a Miami masterclass, continued his purple patch, topping the session with a 1:15.112. Lando Norris, ever the bridesmaid in 2025, slotted in just 0.073s behind. The papaya cars looked planted, nimble, and—crucially—utterly unbothered by the wind.
Max Verstappen, in the newly-upgraded Red Bull RB21, was third, but the gap—over two tenths—will have set off alarm bells in Milton Keynes. The Dutchman’s body language in the garage was pure “I’ve seen this movie before.” Red Bull’s upgrades, much hyped, looked more “incremental” than “transformational.”
Behind them, George Russell led the Mercedes charge in P4, with Charles Leclerc the best of the Ferraris in P5. Lewis Hamilton, still searching for that elusive “click” with the SF-25, was a muted P7, sandwiched between the two Williams of Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz.
The Full FP1 Timesheet (Top 10)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 1:15.112
- Lando Norris (McLaren) – +0.073
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +0.241
- George Russell (Mercedes) – +0.389
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +0.412
- Alex Albon (Williams) – +0.501
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +0.537
- Carlos Sainz (Williams) – +0.601
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – +0.642
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – +0.711
Full results available at Formula1.com
Colapinto’s Alpine Baptism: The Real Story
But the real bombshell wasn’t at the front. It was in the Alpine garage, where Franco Colapinto made his debut for the team, replacing Jack Doohan in a move that has set the paddock alight with speculation and, frankly, a fair bit of outrage.
Colapinto, the Argentine prodigy, was thrown into the deep end after a week of boardroom drama and the abrupt resignation of team principal Oliver Oakes. The timing was, as ever in F1, “coincidental.” The fact that Flavio Briatore is now pulling strings at Enstone only adds to the sense that Alpine is once again living up to its “Piranha Club” reputation.
Colapinto’s session was solid—P13, just a tenth off Gasly and ahead of both Aston Martins. But the real story was the reaction from his peers.
Esteban Ocon, former Alpine driver, said:
Unfortunately, not really any surprise from some of the decisions that have been taken recently by the team. Obviously, sad for Jack. I’m sure he’ll be back in F1 at some point. He showed some really strong moments this year where he qualified super well and he’s also been super quick in the car, which was good to see. On the other hand, Franco also deserves to be in F1. Last year he showed some great things with the Williams car. Unfortunately, there are not enough cars on the grid to fit all the talents that are out there. But yeah, not much more to say. I’m happy where I am.
Oscar Piastri, McLaren, added:
It’s a tough situation all round. Obviously it was a short time in F1 for Jack. Franco is coming in with these five races, which is also not easy circumstances to come back into F1. For Jack, he can be proud of what he’s achieved—he still became an F1 driver and no one can take that away from him.
The paddock consensus? Alpine’s revolving door continues to spin, and Colapinto has five races to prove he’s more than just a stopgap.
Read the full driver reactions
Williams: The Quiet Revolution
If you haven’t been paying attention, Williams is now the midfield’s worst-kept secret. Alex Albon’s P6 was no fluke—he’s been in Q3 at four of the last six races and sits comfortably in the top 10 of the drivers’ standings. Carlos Sainz, still adjusting to life in blue, was just behind in P8.
James Vowles’ project is bearing fruit, and the Grove team is now a genuine threat to Mercedes and Ferrari on certain weekends. The intra-team dynamic, however, is simmering. Miami’s team orders debacle is still fresh, and with both drivers hungry for results, expect fireworks if the upward trend continues.
Ferrari: Home Pressure, Familiar Problems
Imola is Ferrari country, but the tifosi’s patience is wearing thin. Charles Leclerc’s P5 was respectable, but the SF-25 still looks a step behind McLaren and Red Bull. Lewis Hamilton, for all his experience, is still wrestling with a car that refuses to bend to his will.
Fred Vasseur’s “unlocking potential” mantra is starting to sound like a broken record. The upgrades brought to Imola were modest, and the real step is promised for Barcelona. Until then, Ferrari remains in that uncomfortable no-man’s-land: too good to be midfield, not good enough to win.
Antonelli’s Homecoming: The Hype and the Reality
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the local hero, made his first home Grand Prix appearance for Mercedes. The hype was palpable—banners, chants, and a sea of blue in the grandstands. On track, Antonelli was solid, if unspectacular, in P9. The raw pace is there, but the consistency is not—yet.
Toto Wolff, Mercedes Team Principal, summed it up:
He grew up nearby in Bologna, and it will be a special occasion for him. But it’s a race that pays 25 points, like every other, and that’s the only thing that counts at the end of the season.
The Surprises: Hulkenberg, Stroll, and the Rest
Nico Hulkenberg, in the unloved Kick Sauber, managed P12—proof that experience and a stubborn refusal to give up can still count for something. Lance Stroll, meanwhile, continued his run of “anonymous but not disastrous” sessions, finishing P15 and looking every bit the man waiting for the silly season to start.
Franco Colapinto’s debut was the headline, but the midfield is now so compressed that a tenth here or there is the difference between hero and zero. The days of “best of the rest” are over; now, it’s “survival of the fittest.”
Tyres, Tactics, and the C6 Curveball
Pirelli’s decision to bring the C6 soft compound for the first time added another layer of intrigue. The new tyre offered blistering one-lap pace but looked fragile over longer runs. Most teams used FP1 to gather data, but expect some bold gambles in qualifying—especially from those with nothing to lose.
Read Pirelli’s full tyre preview
The Big Picture: McLaren’s Era, Red Bull’s Response
After seven rounds, the narrative is clear: McLaren is the team to beat. Piastri and Norris are locked in a private duel, with Verstappen lurking, waiting for the papaya to trip over itself. Red Bull’s upgrades were supposed to close the gap; so far, they’ve only confirmed it.
Ferrari and Mercedes are fighting for scraps, Williams is dreaming big, and Alpine is, well, Alpine—brilliantly chaotic and never dull.
As for the rest? Imola has a way of sorting the contenders from the pretenders. And after today, the pecking order looks as clear as it ever does in this sport: until it isn’t.
Waste a bit more time
- FP1 full results and session analysis – Formula1.com
- F1 drivers hammer Alpine after brutal Doohan-Colapinto swap – RacingNews365
- F1 Fantasy: Strategist Selection for Imola – Formula1.com
- Imola GP: Five things to watch out for – Motorsport.com
- Emilia Romagna Grand Prix: A race of many firsts – GrandPrix247
- F1 Sprint Highlights | 2025 Miami Grand Prix – YouTube
- @F1 on Instagram – Imola weekend gallery
- @F1 on X – Live updates and session highlights
