Charles Leclerc continues to dominate Imola, Hamilton also earns big as Red Bull struggles in FP2

As Formula 1 ventures back to Europe for the first time this season, the legendary Imola circuit prepares to host the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix this weekend. After dominating the Free Practice Session 1 Charles Leclerc continued his dominance at Imola in FP2 too. 

He finished fastest with a time of 1.15.906 as Oscar Piastri made it to second position. RB’s Yuki Tsunoda clinched third position while Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished fourth and fifth respectively. 

Another Ferrari man Carlos Sainz clinched sixth position while Red Bull duo Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez fell to seventh and eighth position. Both continuously struggled to control the car at crucial junctures and their inconsistency cost Red Bull. 

It’s worth noting that, the recent spectacle in Miami witnessed Lando Norris clinching a remarkable victory, marking his maiden win in F1. His triumph, orchestrated with precision under a timely safety car, also marked McLaren's first victory since September 2021, edging out Max Verstappen in the process.

Max Verstappen continues to dominate the drivers' championship!

Despite Norris's triumph, Verstappen maintains a comfortable 33-point lead in the drivers' championship over his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc securing third place following another podium finish in Miami.

Lewis Hamilton, however, faces a challenging start to his F1 campaign, currently occupying the ninth spot. Last year's scheduled race at Imola was cancelled due to severe flooding in the area, while Verstappen claimed victories in both 2022 and 2021.

Here is the top 10 of FP2 at Imola: