Max seventh after first day in Imola: 'Bad day'

Published on 17 May 2024 by Misha van der Kroon

Max Verstappen finished seventh in the second free practice session for the Grand Prix of Emilia-Romagna. The reigning World Champion was struggling with his RB20, just like in the first training. Charles Leclerc was again fastest on the circuit in Imola, followed by Oscar Piastri. Third fastest was Yuki Tsunoda, with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell completing the top five. 

“It was a difficult day,” Max says after the session. “It was difficult to get a good balance and I was just not feeling really comfortable in the car. It was moving around a lot and it was very easy to lose the car. So there are a few things we have to look at, because today was just bad. Also the long run was really bad, so there are definitely a few things we have to improve if we want to be competitive tomorrow. The others took a step forward, and from our side it was just a bad day.” 

During the session there was a moment when Hamilton got in the way of the Dutchman. When asked about this, Max answers: “It is not the first time. You try to stay calm about it, but it happened again. I don’t really want to talk about it too much, because that is not really our issue. Today we were severely off pace, and we need to fix that.”

When the lights turn green, it is immediately busy at the end of the pitlane. Max also immediately takes to the track. He sets his first time on the medium tyres and clocks a 1:19.930. Pierre Gasly does not have a great start to this session. The Frenchman spins with his Alpine, but manages to continue on his way. Most drivers are on the hard or medium tyres. Both Williams drivers however are still in their garages. The team is busy working on their cars. During the first training, Max was unhappy with the balance of his RB20, but seems more satisfied at the start of the second practice session. He reports over the on-board radio that the balance is now better. However, both Ferrari drivers are still faster than the Dutchman. Max is almost six hundredths slower than Charles Leclerc. After about fifteen minutes, all drivers return to their garages and for a moment it is quiet on the circuit in Imola.  

It is George Russell who breaks the silence: the Brit goes out on the soft tyres. Shortly after, more drivers follow his lead. The two Williams drivers also appear on the circuit. However, Verstappen is still on the mediums and improves his own time to a 1:16.447. This is initially good for third place, but the current World Champion is soon pushed back to fifth as others start to improve their own times.  

Hamilton is not making any friends this session. Both Alonso and Verstappen report over the radio that the Mercedes driver is getting in the way. Verstappen also mentions over the on-board radio to his engineer that he is almost spinning with his car and that the RB20 is difficult to handle. While he seemed happy at the beginning of the session, it looks like he is not so satisfied anymore. 
With twenty minutes to go, Leclerc is again the fastest man of the field, just like this morning. Piastri, Tsunoda, Hamilton and Russell complete the top five at that moment. Verstappen is in seventh. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc have a moment on track, where Perez would be impeding Leclerc. This will be investigated after the session. 

Towards the end of the session, Verstappen rejoins the track on a used medium tyre and starts a long run. Unfortunately, things still don’t go smoothly for the Dutchman, who visits the gravel at the penultimate corner. He finishes FP2 in seventh place, more than five tenths behind the fastest man of the day: Charles Leclerc. 

Contest GP Imola: win a by Max Verstappen signed Verstappen.com Racing cap!

Results second free practice Emilia-romagna: