FP2 Results & Report 2025 Emilia Romagna F1 GP

Event: Emilia Romagna F1 GP
Track: Autodromo Imola

Weather: dry  19°C
Tarmac: dry  34°C
Humidity: 32%
Wind: 11.8 km/h

Piastri Pounces Again: McLaren Flexes at Imola as Hadjar Hits Trouble

Oscar Piastri doubled down on his FP1 dominance by topping the timesheets again in Free Practice 2 at a sun-soaked Imola, while chaos unfolded behind him—courtesy of gravel traps, brake complaints, and a surprise appearance by Bologna FC.

McLaren on Top, Piastri Untouchable (Just)

It’s hard to ignore the orange thunder at Imola. Oscar Piastri continued his fine form from Miami, snatching P1 in both practice sessions on Friday. But this wasn't a solo act. Lando Norris pushed his teammate hard, ending just 0.025s adrift. The McLaren duo looked sharp, confident, and—more importantly—well ahead of the field by nearly three-tenths.

If this form holds into Saturday, we might be looking at another McLaren front row. A two-horse race for pole? Don’t count on it being that simple...

Gasly Emerges as Alpine’s Dark Horse

In a twist few predicted, Pierre Gasly turned in one of his best Fridays in recent memory. Alpine's reshuffle—following Jack Doohan’s benching and the team principal’s exit—seems to have lit a fire under the Frenchman. He was third fastest and the only one remotely close to challenging the McLarens.

Franco Colapinto, stepping in for Doohan, wasn’t just making up the numbers either. The Argentine rookie held his own, finishing P13 and only a tenth behind Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari. Not bad for your first day back in blue.

Hadjar’s Highs and Lows

RB’s Isack Hadjar had a session to remember... and then one to forget. The Frenchman flirted with the top seven before overcooking it and spinning into the gravel. Despite a valiant attempt to rejoin, his rear tyres sank like quicksand—bringing out the red flags. His body language walking away said it all: frustrated but hungry.

Russell Steady, Verstappen Wrestles

George Russell was solid for Mercedes, setting the early benchmark on softs and finishing fourth. He looks far more at ease than he did in Miami. Kimi Antonelli, on the other hand, struggled with traffic and pace. His weekend needs a turnaround—and fast.

As for Max Verstappen? The reigning champ has won at Imola three years running, but Friday was far from smooth. A mystery object in his cockpit and a car that looked more like a rodeo bull than a Red Bull didn’t help. He was sixth, nearly half a second off Piastri.

Ferrari’s Friday Fiasco

Oh Ferrari, not again. Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton wrestled their cars all day. Leclerc called the brakes “horrendous,” and both drivers found themselves running off track during FP1. In FP2, Hamilton managed just P10 while Leclerc couldn’t hide his irritation with the balance issues.

Turn 5, 9 and 11 were especially problematic, with Leclerc practically begging for changes over team radio. They’ve got a long night ahead in Maranello’s mobile HQ.

Traffic Jams and Tactical Gambles

Colapinto and Norris gave fans a little side-by-side action in FP2—perhaps not ideal for a practice session, but entertaining nonetheless. Antonelli, meanwhile, voiced frustration over a Red Bull blocking him mid-lap.

Qualifying tomorrow is going to be a hornet's nest. Forget track limits—navigating Imola's traffic might be the real challenge in Q1.

Softs, Mediums… But Where’s the Hard?

Pirelli brought the C6 soft compound this weekend—its first outing this season. Teams took it for a spin but most ditched it by the second half of FP2. Mediums dominated the long-run simulations, while hards were nowhere to be seen. Expect tyre strategy to play a key role come Sunday, especially with Imola’s twisty layout limiting overtaking.

Track temps started to drop late in the session, hitting 33.7°C—lower than race day expectations. Strategy teams will be busy tonight crunching the numbers.

Bologna FC Joins the Party

Because why not? Fresh off their Coppa Italia win, Bologna’s football heroes showed up in the paddock—swapping jerseys with hometown hero Kimi Antonelli. A little hometown love might be just the morale boost the rookie needs heading into Saturday.

FP2 Times Table 2025 E. Romagna GP

The fastest lap time of last year's FP2 was a 1:15.906 driven by Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari SF-24.

The fastest sectors times during the session where:

• Sector 1: 23.780 sec. by Oscar Piastri with the McLaren MCL39.
• Sector 2: 25.937 sec. by Lando Norris with the McLaren MCL39.
• Sector 3: 25.772 sec. by Lando Norris with the McLaren MCL39.

Saturday Setup: All Eyes on Quali

FP3 kicks off at 12:30 local time, with qualifying following at 16:00. On a track where overtaking is a nightmare, grid position will be everything. McLaren look like favourites, but don’t blink—Imola has a way of delivering surprises.

And if today’s action is anything to go by, Saturday’s going to be a thriller.

✅ Check out our 2025 Emilia Romagna Formula 1 Grand Prix preview.

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