Leclerc on top for Ferrari in opening practice
The Peninsula
Imola, Italy: Charles Leclerc topped the times for Ferrari in Friday s opening free practice at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, finishing a busy sessio...
Imola, Italy: Charles Leclerc topped the times for Ferrari in Friday's opening free practice at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, finishing a busy session one-tenth of a second clear of nearest rival George Russell of Mercedes.
Driving his revised Ferrari with confidence and determination, Leclerc clocked a best lap in one minute and 16.990 seconds to finish ahead of Russell and Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz in third at the team's geographical 'home' circuit, 50 kilometres from Maranello.
Sergio Perez was fourth for Red Bull ahead of championship-leading team-mate and three-time world champion Max Verstappen, Yuki Tsunoda for RB and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton in the second Mercedes.
Both Verstappen and Hamilton had troubled sessions with the Dutchman wrestling often with his car to keep it on the asphalt.
McLaren's Lando Norris, maiden winner of the race in Miami two weeks ago, was eighth ahead of team-mate Lando Norris and two-time champion Fernado Alonso of Aston Martin.