“A very nice Sunday,” he comments on the pit radio. Thanks to the point for the fastest race lap in the World Championship, the Dutchman reduced his deficit to 27 points and worked his way up to second place. So full yield for the champion in Imola. The Ferrari party, on the other hand, literally fell through.
Charles Leclerc shows nerves for the first time this season.
But Leclerc also shows nerves. On the hunt for Perez, he loses control of his red racer in a chicane with eight laps to go and ends up gently in the gang. The due change of the front wing throws him back to sixth place. “That must not happen to him,” comments Ralf Schumacher on Sky. Leclerc ruefully: “There are no excuses, I made a mistake that I shouldn’t have made. It’s a shame. I pushed the limit and paid the price for it.”
Mick Schumacher, on the other hand, was not able to convince after starting from tenth place in Imola. Twice he stands across on a wet track, is in 18th place penultimate behind Nicholas Latifi (Williams) and Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo). His teammate Kevin Magnussen is ninth.
Maximum penalty also for Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world champion bites his teeth on Pierre Gasly’s AlphaTauri and is lapped by Max Verstappen. More than rank 14 is not possible for the Mercedes star. Team boss Toto Wolff apologizes on the pit radio: “Sorry Lewis that you had to drive this car today. I know it was impassable.” Hamilton replied: “No worries. We come back.”
Formula 1 Grand Prix of Emilia-Romagna
result
2. Sergio Perez (Mexico) – Red Bull +16.527s
3. Lando Norris (Great Britain) – McLaren +34.834
4. George Russell (Great Britain) – Mercedes +42.506
5. Valtteri Bottas (Finland) – Alfa Romeo +43.181
6. Charles Leclerc (Monaco) – Ferrari +56.072
7. Yuki Tsunoda (Japan) – Alpha Tauri +1:01.110 min.
8. Sebastian Vettel (Heppenheim) – Aston Martin +1:10.892
9. Kevin Magnussen (Denmark) – Haas +1:15.260
10. Lance Stroll (Canada) – Aston Martin +1 lap.
11. Esteban Ocon (France) – Alpine + 1 lap.
12. Alexander Albon (Thailand) – Williams + 1 lap
13. Pierre Gasly (France) – Alpha Tauri +1 lap.
14. Lewis Hamilton (Great Britain) – Mercedes + 1 lap.
15. Zhou Guanyu (China) – Alfa Romeo + 1 lap.
16. Nicholas Latifi (Canada) – Williams + 1 lap
17. Mick Schumacher (Gland/Switzerland) – Haas + 1 lap.
18. Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) – McLaren + 1 lap.
failures:
Carlos Sainz Jr. (Spain) – Ferrari (1st lap)
Fernando Alonso (Spain) – Alpine (7th lap)
Driver Rating
Standing after 4 of 22 races
1. Charles Leclerc (Monaco) – Ferrari 86 pts.
2. Max Verstappen (Netherlands) – Red Bull 59
3. Sergio Perez (Mexico) – Red Bull 54
4. George Russell (Great Britain) – Mercedes 49
5. Carlos Sainz Jr (Spain) – Ferrari 38
6. Lando Norris (Great Britain) – McLaren 35
7. Lewis Hamilton (Great Britain) – Mercedes 28
8. Valtteri Bottas (Finland) – Alfa Romeo 24
9. Esteban Ocon (France) – Alpine 20
10. Kevin Magnussen (Denmark) – Haas 15
11. Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) – McLaren 11
12. Yuki Tsunoda (Japan) – Alpha Tauri 10
13. Pierre Gasly (France) – Alpha Tauri 6
14. Sebastian Vettel (Heppenheim) – Aston Martin 4
15. Fernando Alonso (Spain) – Alpine 2
16. Zhou Guanyu (China) – Alfa Romeo 1st
17. Lance Stroll (Canada) – Aston Martin 1st
18. Alexander Albon (Thailand) – Williams 1
Constructor Score
Standing after 4 of 22 races
1. Ferrari 124 pts.
2. Red Bull 113
3.Mercedes 77
4. McLaren 46
5. Alfa Romeo 25
6. Alpine 22
7. Alpha Tauri 16
8. Hass 15
9. Aston Martin 5
10. Williams 1
