The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix represented the first Formula 1 event of the new era on European territory, and both the teams and the drivers landed at the legendary Imola track to experience an exciting weekend that began through water.
From Thursday, everyone present on the track was watching the sky, just as it would happen in the first and only free practice on Friday before qualifying that would decide the positions on the grid for the sprint race.
Therefore, enjoy the best images that this frenetic first day of action in Imola has given us.
Gallery: the spectacular photos of Friday’s rainy day at the Emilia Romagna GP
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Foto de: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Foto de: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger/Motorsport Images
Foto de: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images
After signing a long-awaited renewal for two more seasons with the Ferrari team, Carlos Sainz arrived at the track wanting to prove his worth at the controls of the red car, although first he had to overcome his teammate, Charles Leclerc, who dominates with an iron fist the classification of the Formula 1 world championship.
The Monegasque, for his part, landed in Imola with the intention of increasing his leadership at the top of the drivers’ table, as well as helping the Maranello team to achieve their coveted constructors’ title that has been elusive for more than a decade.
Those who threaten this dominance are those of Red Bull, with Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez lurking with the RB18 , who want to take the victory, just as they did in 2021, in Imola, but they must not be misled, since the sprint format with so little time for testing can cause a single mistake.
In Alpine they trust that Fernando Alonso can take advantage of the new background that they have installed in the A522, but they will have to compare data so that the French team applies it in the other single-seater, that of Esteban Ocon, from the Miami Grand Prix at the beginning of May.
