Emilia Romagna GP Race Report

We switched the TV on and the umbrellas were out...there was huge potential for something a little bit interesting at this race.  Even with Verstappen and LeClerc lined up at the front of the grid, how many Red Flags would there be?  How many Safety Cars?  How many drivers would finish the race?  Will the Honda/Red Bull engines be reliable?

The track started to dry up and the drivers needed to choose which wet tire to start on.  As Hamilton was out on track investigating, he radioed in with engine problems.  The Mercedes just can't catch a break at the moment.

LeClerc has only ever won from starting in pole position (a trend which continues).  And he lost out to both Sainz and Norris off the start.  Things went from bad to worse for the Tfosi as sometime Italian Ricciardo took Sainz out at the next corner.  Ricciardo was able to get the car back on track though.   Refreshingly, this was put down as a racing incident by the stewards.

Safety Car: 1

Red Flag: 0

Unsurprisingly, Perez posed no great threat to his teammate Verstappen when the Safety Car went in.  During the calm everyone realised that Russell had made up many places from his starting position and Alonso had a great big hole in the side of his car.

The track dried out and McLaren pulled last place Ricciardo in to try slick tires.  As he set good times through the sectors, everyone pitted their drivers.  Red Bull won this with a pit stop 1.4 second quicker than Ferrari.  Bottas also had a nightmare stop.  Not quite like Hamilton, who had Ocon released on top of him and was then overtaken by Albon in his Williams for 12th place.

The race plodded on, the second rain shower (Class 0-1 according to McLaren) never arrived, Verstappen lapped Hamilton, Ricciardo came in for 97 pit stops.  LeClerc could not catch up with the Red Bulls, Norris couldn't catch up with LeClerc, Russell couldn't catch up with Norris.  Plod plod plod.   With 12 laps to go, LeClerc pitted for the soft tire to try something new.  This brought him out behind Norris, although it was only a few corners before he got passed.  Perez came in from second next for some soft tires and came out in second.  Then Verstappen.  Surely someone was going to have an awful stop or be penalised for speeding in the the pit lane?  No.  LeClerc came on to the radio regretting having chosen the soft tire over the medium.  Altogether now: non, je ne regrette rien.  The commentators began to hype up the potential of LeClerc going for second place and as they spoke, the driver hit the kerb awkwardly, spun and nudged the wall, requiring a trip to his pit for new wing and tires and came out in 9th.

Ultimately, it was a dominant weekend for Red Bull, pole position, Sprint win and third, 1 2 finish.

I was surprised to see the return of pre-podium room banter!  Co-vid has bid us farewell and now we can listen in to people in a small room not wearing masks.  They watched LeClerc's crash and analysed it.

Much was made of there being no DRS for the first 35 laps.  Would it have improved the race?  I'm not sure. It wasn't a classic and we're all being reminded why we haven't raced at Imola for while until Co-vid forced the FIA's hand.  Roll on Miami.