LIVE – Updated at 14:07
Formula One’s first European race of the season takes place on Sunday afternoon, as the teams and drivers face the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.
The first sprint race of the 2022 season took place on Saturday and it was Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who claimed pole position for Sunday’s main event, just edging ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on the penultimate lap. With the teammates of each of those two on the second row, it’s McLaren who fill the third on the grid, Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo both looking to continue their fine starts to the campaign. But while Alpine, Haas and Alfa Romeo all have at least one driver in the top 10 to start at Imola, Mercedes pair George Russell (11th) and Lewis Hamilton (14th) face another dismal weekend which has left the seven-time world champion already writing off the year.
Last year Verstappen beat Hamilton after overtaking him on the very first corner, with Norris claiming the other podium spot - and despite the Belgian-Dutch racer starting in top spot this time around, his teammate Sergio Perez is looking to claim victory himself.
Follow all the latest updates from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix below:
That really could not have been worse for the home horses. Charles Leclerc struggled to get off the line and Sergio Perez was on him in a flash, while Sainz went the long way into the opening corner, bashing against a more direct Ricciardo. Disappointing for Sainz, but I don’t think there’s too much fault in the actions of Ricciardo. It is probably Sainz’s corner, but the pair were side-by-side. We’ll see what the stewards say.
Valtteri Bottas also took a little contact in that incident.
It’s a nightmare start for Ferrari - Charles Leclerc has
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