The final practice session at Imola closed with an emphatic message: McLaren is not only fast, they’re consistently untouchable over one lap this weekend. Lando Norris led Oscar Piastri for the third straight session, both extracting near-perfect laps in a car that seems to be the most balanced on the grid.
Max Verstappen, meanwhile, quietly slotted into P3 on medium tyres, keeping Red Bull’s true pace concealed. But the big revelations came just behind: Kimi Antonelli delivered a spectacular home-soil P4 for Mercedes, while Alpine rolled the dice on full power unit changes — the only team to do so this weekend.
McLaren Look Flawless and Piastri Is Right There
Norris’s lap of 1:14.897 looked planted, confident, and composed, particularly through sector two, where the McLaren continued to outperform everyone. The rear end stability of the MCL40B is allowing both drivers to push deeper into entries with minimal mid-corner correction, suggesting a car that’s not just fast, but easy to drive at the limit.
Piastri’s lap was only 0.100s off, and he matched Norris in high-speed turns while losing just a touch under braking. The consistency across both drivers hints at a chassis in its sweet spot. This isn’t a one-lap fluke, it’s a pattern building through every session at Imola. On current evidence, McLaren heads into qualifying with both cars looking like pole threats.
Verstappen Hides the Real Pace, But Tsunoda Struggles
Verstappen’s P3 finish might seem modest, but considering he was on mediums, the implication is clear: Red Bull hasn’t yet revealed its full performance window. He posted purple sectors on corner exits and showed class-leading straight-line speed into Tamburello and Variante Alta, even without the soft compound boost. If Red Bull switches to softs in Q2 or Q3, they may well leapfrog back to the front.
On the other side of the garage, however, Yuki Tsunoda finished P17, clearly wrestling the RB21 through slower sections. His lap was riddled with instability on corner exit, especially in sector three, suggesting setup differences or driver confidence issues are limiting his performance ceiling.
Antonelli’s Home Heroics Turn Heads
The standout of the day was undoubtedly Kimi Antonelli, who clocked P4 with a 1:15.399, just +0.502s off Norris. What made it even more impressive was his control under pressure. He braked late but cleanly into Rivazza, showed precise rotation at Tosa, and maintained consistent traction through the final chicane.
This wasn’t a “rookie standout” performance, this was a session that put him toe-to-toe with title contenders. The telemetry shows he’s right there with the top four in every sector. Antonelli isn’t just learning, he’s already performing.
Leclerc and Hamilton: Opposite Ends of Ferrari’s Form
Charles Leclerc finished P5, looking tidy and composed but not electric. His time of 1:15.451 (+0.554s) suggested the Ferrari SF-25 still needs a bit more grip on turn-in and rotation, especially through Acque Minerali and the Variante Alta, where both McLarens pulled clear. Still, it was a clean lap, and one that could translate well to Q3.
Lewis Hamilton, in contrast, ended P10 and appeared to be trialing setup adjustments throughout the session. With a gap of +0.890s, the lap lacked confidence and fluidity, perhaps due to ride height or brake balance experiments. Ferrari may be using Hamilton’s side of the garage to gather race-trim data, explaining the disparity.
Williams Duo Impress Again, Sainz and Albon Deliver
Carlos Sainz continues to quietly put together a stellar season at Williams. His P6 time of 1:15.457 (+0.560s) came from a clean, minimal-correction lap that showed how much mechanical grip Williams is extracting on low fuel.
Alex Albon, meanwhile, posted P9 on medium tyres, with a gap of +0.835s, arguably the most efficient lap in the midfield. His top speed was competitive, but his mid-corner stability really stood out, especially through the left-right of Piratella.
This team is no longer a backmarker. The updated aero package is working, and both drivers are executing.
Hadjar Keeps Surprising, Top 10 Again
Isack Hadjar slotted into P7 with a 1:15.508 (+0.611s) on mediums, making him one of the most impressive midfield performers so far this year. His telemetry shows strong minimum corner speeds and exit traction, even against faster teams. With multiple clean laps and little time lost to rear instability, Hadjar is building a strong case for Racing Bulls being the season’s dark horse team.
Alpine Goes All-In on Power Unit Swap, But Pace Is Still Missing
Alpine made the boldest move overnight: both cars received new power unit elements, the only team to do so.
- Franco Colapinto received: a new ICE, turbocharger, MGU-H, MGU-K, and exhaust system
- Pierre Gasly received: a new MGU-K
These changes are clearly meant to counteract reliability concerns, but so far, there’s no payoff. Colapinto managed only P18, and Gasly was P15. Despite the fresh hardware, sector times were sluggish, and telemetry shows they’re losing most of their time in traction zones.
The issues appear to be fundamental: either chassis drag or a lack of downforce is preventing the team from putting power to the ground effectively. The power unit isn’t the problem anymore, everything else might be.
FP3 Top 12 – Final Standings with Gaps and Tyres
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | Tyre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:14.897 | — | Soft |
| 2 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:14.997 | +0.100 | Soft |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:15.078 | +0.181 | Medium |
| 4 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:15.399 | +0.502 | Soft |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:15.451 | +0.554 | Soft |
| 6 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:15.457 | +0.560 | Soft |
| 7 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1:15.508 | +0.611 | Medium |
| 8 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:15.662 | +0.765 | Medium |
| 9 | Alex Albon | Williams | 1:15.732 | +0.835 | Medium |
| 10 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:15.787 | +0.890 | Soft |
| 11 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:15.819 | +0.922 | Soft |
| 12 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:15.944 | +1.047 | Soft |
Final Thoughts Before Qualifying
- McLaren continues to look bulletproof over one lap, with both drivers delivering clinical laps.
- Red Bull’s medium-tyre pace from Verstappen is a clear warning: they’re still in the fight.
- Antonelli’s home form is turning into a storyline of its own, and Mercedes may have a future star already delivering.
- Ferrari looks solid but not spectacular, with setup uncertainty still plaguing Hamilton.
- Williams is now a credible Q3 contender with both Sainz and Albon.
- Hadjar and Racing Bulls are consistently punching above weight.
- Alpine’s gamble on new engines hasn’t paid off yet, and they may be in deeper trouble than it appears.
With qualifying looming, the pecking order is becoming clearer, but the margins are tight, and the track is only getting faster. Expect drama. This is Imola, after all.