Formula 1 returns to Europe for the first time in 2024 as the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola takes place this weekend.
The race in northern Italy was scrapped due to severe flooding at the circuit last year but remains a highlight of the motorsport calendar.
Lando Norris, fresh from his first F1 win in Miami last time, will look to repeat the feat in Imola where he has been on the podium twice.
However, Max Verstappen, who won on the grid’s last visit to Imola in 2022, remains the driver to beat two years later.
The defending three-time world champion is cruising towards a fourth successive title as he leads the drivers’ standings by 33 points.
The Dutchman is finely poised to extend that gap even further having cruised to pole position in Saturday’s qualifying.
Emilia Romagna GP: Date and UK start time
The race weekend at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari is scheduled for Friday, May 17 to Sunday, May 19.
Practice One got things underway at 12:30pm UK time on Friday before a second session started at 4pm.
Saturday’s action kicked off with FP3 at 11:15am, before qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix started at 3pm.
Light’s Out for the Emilia Romagna GP is at 2pm UK time on Sunday.
Emilia Romagna GP: TV channel and live stream
The race weekend will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1.
Coverage of the race is scheduled to begin at 12:30pm UK time on Sunday.
Sky Sports customers can live stream this via the app using their mobile, tablet or computer devices.
You can also purchase a Sky Sports Day Pass from NowTV for £11.98 while Channel Four will broadcast highlights later in the evening.
Fern Buckley will also have updates from Imola live on talkSPORT.
To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.
You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
Emilia Romagna GP: Starting grid
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 1:14.746
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Yuki Tsunoda (RB)
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- Daniel Ricciardo (RB)
- Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
- Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
- Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
- Alex Albon (Williams)
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
- Valtteri Bottas (Sauber)
- Logan Sargeant (Williams)
- Zhou Guanyu (Sauber)
- Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
Emilia Romagna GP: What has been said?
Adrian Newey expects he will return to F1 in the future after a break from the sport following his exit from Red Bull.
“If you asked me 15 years ago, at the age of 65 would I seriously be considering changing teams, going somewhere else and doing another four or five years, I would have said ‘you’re absolutely mad’,” Newey said in an interview for Oyster Yachts.
“A few things happened at once. My dad, who was a vet, he was a huge car enthusiast and he used to tinker around with cars and play with them. That’s where things rubbed off on me.
“He wanted to retire when he was 60 and he semi-retired at 62, moved up with my mum to Yorkshire then fully retired at 65.
“He lost his way a bit in retirement. He lost his mojo and a combination of that and two of the people I respect the most, Bernie Ecclestone and Roger Penske, I asked them both ‘what’s your secret’. They are phenomenally mentally and physically agile. They both said ‘the brain is like a muscle, it needs exercise’.
“I’ve wanted to work in motor racing as a designer since I was the age of eight or 10. I’ve been lucky enough to fulfil that ambition, to have got that first job and be in motor racing ever since. Every day has just been a bonus. I just love what I do.
“I’ll have a bit of a holiday. As Forrest Gump said at the end of his long run, ‘I feel a bit tired at the moment but at some point I’ll probably go again’.”
Emilia Romagna GP: Driver standings
- Max Verstappen, Red Bull – 136
- Sergio Perez, Red Bull – 103
- Charles Leclerc, Ferrari – 98
- Lando Norris, McLaren – 83
- Carlos Sainz, Ferrari – 83
- Oscar Piastri, McLaren – 41
- George Russell, Mercedes – 37
- Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin – 33
- Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes – 27
- Yuki Tsunoda, RB – 14
- Lance Stroll, Aston Martin – 9
- Oliver Bearman, Ferrari – 6
- Nico Hulkenberg, Haas – 6
- Daniel Ricciardo, RB – 5
- Esteban Ocon, Alpine – 1
- Kevin Magnussen, Haas – 1
- Alex Albon, Williams – 0
- Zhou Guanyu, Kick Sauber – 0
- Pierre Gasly, Alpine – 0
- Valtteri Bottas, Kick Sauber – 0
- Logan Sargeant, Williams – 0
News Summary:
- Emilia Romagna Grand Prix LIVE: UK start time, qualifying results, and how to follow F1 race at Imola as Max Verstappen on pole
- Check all news and articles from the latest Football updates.