MAX VERSTAPPEN secured pole position for today's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after a dramatic Sprint race in Emilia Romagna.
The Dutchman managed to successfully navigate his way around a wet Imola which entailed SIX red flags during the course of the day.
Australian Grand Prix winner Charles Leclerc also put himself in a good spot for the sprint by finishing in second.
However, Lewis Hamilton's struggles continue as the 7x World Champion and his Mercedes colleague George Russell were embarrassingly eliminated in Q2.
- Start time: 2pm
- TV channel: Sky Sports F1
- Live stream: Sky Go/Now TV
- Alex Cole
Rain in Imola
The rain is falling heavily in Imola which should set us up for a thriller in the Italian countryside.
Charles Leclerc waves to the Ferrari crowd.
- Alex Cole
Leclerc front row start
Leclerc starts in P2, writes ETIENNE FERMIE.
Leclerc added: "It's still a front row start. We struggled with the tyres at the end, so we need to analyse that for tomorrow. We need to make sure that we're ready.
"The pace was good until then, we started to have some draining on the front left and lost it towards the end. That's life, we'll go to work and come back stronger tomorrow."
Sergio Perez managed to storm up into third in yesterday's sprint race, while Carlos Sainz put yesterday's nightmare behind him to clinch fourth.
Brit Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, endured another underwhelming session in the struggling Mercedes – slumping to P14.
McLaren's Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo finished in fifth and sixth respectively – with Valtteri Bottas in seventh and Haas' Kevin Magnussen in eighth.
Hamilton's Merc team-mate George Russell finished in 11th.
- Alex Cole
Max at the top
Max Verstappen will start tomorrow's Emilia Romagna GP in pole position after snatching sprint race victory from Charles Leclerc, writes ETIENNE FERMIE.
The Dutchman began today's 21-lap sprint in P1, but was immediately caught by Leclerc on the first corner.
The Monegasque led for the majority of the race, but was reeled in during the penultimate lap, to the horror of the pro-Ferrari Italian crowd.
Leclerc started in P2, but immediately overtook Verstappen to the delight of the pro-Ferrari Italian crowd.
The victory saw last year's world champion grab eight points for Red Bull, while his Prancing Horse rival had to be content with the seven offered up for second place.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the sprint, Verstappen said: "My start was not very good and it took a while to try and put the pressure on.
"We were a bit better on our tyres at the end of the race so I could get into DRS and we had a good fight into turn 2.
"It was fast and pushing quite a bit."
- Alex Cole
Hours to go
Start your engines as Formula One is back with another thrilling race at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix – and it is not to be missed.
Ferrari superstar Charles Leclerc finds himself at the top of the charts after winning two of the opening three races.
He starts second on the grid behind rival Max Verstappen – who took the sprint race yesterday.
The Red Bull man was forced to retire in Australia, for the second time this campaign.
As for Lewis Hamilton, his season has got off to an awful start but did well to land fourth spot in Melbourne.
The seven-time Formula 1 Championship winner would have been eager to rediscover his phenomenal form at one of the most prestigious tracks on the calendar this weekend.
But he endured another underwhelming session in the struggling Mercedes – slumping to P14.
- Etienne Fermie
Morning Petrolheads
Ferrari racing director Laurent Mekies is relishing his team’s battle for F1 supremacy this season.
“The simple truth is that they [Red Bull] are very strong,” Mekies told Sky Sports.
“Not only is Max very fast, but also Checo (Charles Leclerc). You could see that in his lap time. I don’t think there is much between our cars this weekend. So, it will come down to small details.”
Lewis Hamilton has committed his future to Mercedes, despite a “painful” year.
“I have been at Mercedes since I was 13,” Hamilton revealed.
“We have had amazing times together, highs and lows together, and I am 100 per cent committed to this team and there is nowhere else I want to be.
“Just because we have hit a rough patch, it is not in my DNA to pack up. We are still world champions and we can fix this. It is just going to take longer.
“It will be a painful year that we have to ride out together. Hopefully, we can rectify it at some point in the year, or worst-case scenario, by next year.”
Mercedes F1 chief Toto Wolff called the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix a “write off” for his team after seeing Lewis Hamilton and George Russell fail to move into the top 10 in Saturday’s sprint race.
- Jon Boon
No love lost between Wolff and Horner
Toto Wolff and Christian Horner showed that there was no love lost between the pair – sitting as far away as possible in a special F1 ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
The team principal rivals were sat on the opposite ends of the table, after a series of rows in the past year.
Intriguingly, CEO Stefano Domenicali was in the middle – perhaps acting as mediator.
- Jon Boon
Red Bull v Ferrari
Ferrari racing director Laurent Mekies is relishing his team's battle for F1 supremacy this season.
"The simple truth is that they [Red Bull] are very strong," Mekies told Sky Sports.
"Not only is Max very fast, but also Checo (Charles Leclerc). You could see that in his lap time. I don't think there is much between our cars this weekend. So, it will come down to small details."
- Jon Boon
Committed Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton has committed his future to Mercedes, despite a "painful" year.
"I have been at Mercedes since I was 13," Hamilton revealed.
"We have had amazing times together, highs and lows together, and I am 100 per cent committed to this team and there is nowhere else I want to be.
"Just because we have hit a rough patch, it is not in my DNA to pack up. We are still world champions and we can fix this. It is just going to take longer.
"It will be a painful year that we have to ride out together. Hopefully, we can rectify it at some point in the year, or worst-case scenario, by next year."
- Jon Boon
Hamilton writes off title chances
Lewis Hamilton has written off his chances of winning a record eighth F1 Championship.
The British racer finished in 14th place in the sprint race at Imola.
"We are obviously not fighting for the championship," Hamilton said afterwards.
"We are fighting to understand the car, improve and progress through the year. That's all we can hope for now.
"Ultimately we haven't got it right, but everyone's working as hard as they can to reverse it."
- Jon Boon
'Anything could happen', says Sainz
Sainz believes he can still win the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after a "painful" Imola crash in qualifying and finishing fourth in the sprint race.
Sainz revealed how the shunt affected him after the race. "Very painful," he revealed.
He continued: "I mean, I'm not going to hide it. It was a very negative day for me.
"It's how it goes sometimes in sport, you have bad moments and yesterday that definitely was a low for me, and I keep trying to learn from them, and keep trying to make myself stronger from them.
"The important thing is that today we bounced back solidly and we put ourselves in the fight for tomorrow, and tomorrow anything could happen.
"I could still win, I could still make a podium and leave the weekend pretty happy. The important thing is to keep learning from these mistakes.
"I mean it's no secret, mistakes like yesterday happen for a reason and I'm still not 100%, I'm out there fighting the car and trying to figure it out.
"Obviously I'm quick, this is no secret that yesterday I was quick, in Australia I was quick. It's just the confidence with it, and the predictability that I have from the car. and as soon as I get this sorted I will be 100%."
- Jon Boon
Wolff concedes weekend a 'write off'
Mercedes F1 chief Toto Wolff called the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix a "write off" for his team after seeing Lewis Hamilton and George Russell fail to move into the top 10 in Saturday's sprint race.
"I think points scoring needs to be the minimum, but this is not where we set our expectations and therefore this weekend is a complete write-off," Wolff said.
"You can say 'well, we're trying to learn', but we weren't great with tyre warm-up, that's why there is not a lot that can be really done.
"There is no miracle you can expect at the race start because the overtaking is so difficult. We can make up positions. We've shown it today but not quickly and therefore beyond the fact that we are learning it's another humbling experience."
- Kostas Lianos
Lando Norris reacts
McLaren star Lando Norris suggested it is impossible to race against Ferrari and Red Bull.
Norris told Sky Sports: "As happy as I can be…
"No matter if I was the best driver in the world I don't think I could have achieved anything more today. We did the best job we can.
"Ferrari and Red Bull are just so much faster, it just not even a race against them."
- Kostas Lianos
Sainz reacts
Ferrari star Carlos Sainz insists he "did the maximum" of what he could have done.
Sainz told Sky Sports: "I think I did the maximum that I could do today with the way that the race played out.
"I knew I had to get up to a top at least a top five, or maybe a top four, and today I managed to do that to get to P4.
"It was a solid day, solid race and I am ready tomorrow to fight everyone. I am glad I look from the outside comfortable because from the inside I am not quite yet comfortable.
Is is why mistakes like yesterday show that maybe I am not 100 per cent and not fully happy with the car but I am hustling out there and I am working to get it to my liking and changing my driving.
"I know once I find the combination with my driving I can be as fast as anyone out there"
- Kostas Lianos
Verstappen on Hamilton’s Chelsea bid
Formula One star Max Verstappen has ripped into rival Lewis Hamilton over his shock role in Chelsea’s takeover bid.
Verstappen told PA: “I am a PSV [Eindhoven] fan and I would never buy Ajax.
“And if I was going to buy a football club I would want to be the full owner and to take the decisions myself, not own just a tiny percentage.
“I thought he was an Arsenal fan? And if you are an Arsenal fan going for Chelsea, that it is quite interesting.
“But everyone does what they want with their money so let’s see what comes out of it”
Credit: GETTY IMAGES - James Orr
Sprint race points
And remember the top 8 finishers from the Sprint race receive points.
First place 8
Second 7
Third 6
Fourth 5
Fifth 4
Sixth 3
Seventh 2
Eighth 1
- James Orr
Sprint race full result
And the final 10 after the Sprint race, with Lewis Hamilton down in 14th place.
11) Russell
12) Tsunoda
13) Vettel
14) Hamilton
15) Stroll
16) Ocon
17) Gasly
18) Albon
19) Latifi
20) Zhou
- James Orr
Sprint race top 10
1) Verstappen
2) Leclerc
3) Perez
4) Sainz
5) Norris
6) Ricciardo
7) Bottas
8) Magnussen
9) Alonso
10) Schumacher
- Ben Hunt
The sprint podium
- Ben Hunt
More woe for Merc
Russell was 11th and Hamilton down in 14th. Not the result they were hoping for.
It could make for more misery in Sunday's GP. They simply do not have the pace in that car.
- Ben Hunt
VERSTAPPEN WINS
The Dutchman wins the sprint race and secures eight championship points.
Leclerc is second. Perez is third. Sainz is fourth.
Norris (5th), Ricciardo (6th), Bottas (7th), Magnussen (8th) complete the points haul.
- Ben Hunt
Lap 20 Verstappen gets Leclerc
He has taken the lead and is now pulling away. He got the move done cleanly at Turn One.
- Ben Hunt
Verstappen is getting closer
Three laps to go and this battle is heating up.
Sainz is now up to fourth. So it is Ferrari, Red Bull, Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, McLaren….
- Ben Hunt
Hold on! Max is back!
He has now cut that gap to 0.7 seconds. He is looking to put some pressure on the Ferrari man in the final five laps.
- Ben Hunt
Lap 14 Leclerc is looking comfortable
The Ferrari man is leading this sprint race and looking to extend his lead in the championship.
- Ben Hunt
Magnussen is dropping like a stone
The Haas man is on the slower medium tyre and is struggling. He is now sixth.
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