Emilia Romagna GP: Lando Norris turns tables on Oscar Piastri to set Practice Three pace ahead of qualifying | F1 News

Lando Norris set himself up for a bid at claiming his first pole place since 2025’s season-opening spherical on Saturday on the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix by beating Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen to the quickest time in last follow.

​​​​​​After being shaded by his championship-leading team-mate Piastri in each of Friday’s practices periods at Imola, Norris turned the tables within the last session earlier than the all-important qualifying hour at 3pm – dwell on Sky Sports activities F1.

Norris’ quickest time on the smooth tyres of 1:14.897 was precisely one tenth of a second sooner than Piastri’s, though the latter’s finest effort got here on his second lap on Pirelli’s new softest compound when efficiency from the tyre wouldn’t have been fairly as robust.

Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen was 0.181s again in third place though he set his finest time on the slower medium compound after failing to enhance on the red-marked softs.

The Dutchman has overwhelmed the McLaren to pole place on the final two grands prix, and three of the final 4, and Purple Bull once more look to have improved the dealing with of his RB21 after a troublesome begin in Observe One.

Verstappen was not the one driver to set his quickest time of the hour on the theoretically slower mediums, with Pirelli’s new C6 tyre – the quickest compound within the Italian producer’s vary which is debuting at Imola this weekend – proving troublesome to maintain within the right working window for all the 3.05-mile Imola lap.

Monitor circumstances are barely cooler at a cloudier Imola on Saturday, however the McLarens seem to once more have a bonus when the onus is on tyre preservation.

Italy’s personal Kimi Antonelli, although, did make a late enchancment on the softs to vault into fourth for Mercedes, though that was nonetheless half a second behind Norris’ time with McLaren clearly remaining the crew to beat after a clear sweep of one-two finishes by way of follow.

Charles Leclerc was as soon as extra the lead Ferrari driver in fifth with Lewis Hamilton, who struggled with braking on Friday, three tenths additional again in tenth after a session which included a mistake on the second Rivazza when he went into the gravel.

Williams’ effective type continued with Carlos Sainz taking sixth and Alex Albon ninth, whereas Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar bounced again from his Friday crash to take seventh forward of the second Mercedes of George Russell.

“Lots to digest after that session,” stated Sky Sports activities F1’s Anthony Davidson.

“Which tyre do you want to be on when it comes to qualifying?

“One factor that has stayed constant is the 2 McLarens are out in entrance. Not by an enormous margin and Verstappen in third did his finest lap time on the medium tyre.

“Can Red Bull get enough performance out of the car on the softs, which it looked like they were missing then?

“We might be taking a look at one other Suzuka-style effort from Max Verstappen.”

Sky Sports activities F1’s Emilia Romagna GP Schedule

Saturday Could 17
1.10pm: F2 Dash
2.10pm: Emilia Romagna GP Qualifying build-up
3pm: EMILIA ROMAGNA GP QUALIFYING*
5pm: Ted’s Qualifying Pocket book

Sunday Could 18
7.25am: F3 Function Race
8.55am: F2 Function Race
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Emilia Romagna GP build-up
2pm: The EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag: Emilia Romagna GP response
5pm: Ted’s Pocket book

*Additionally dwell on Sky Sports activities Important Occasion

F1’s European season begins with the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix this weekend, dwell on Sky Sports activities F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime