IMOLA GRAND PRIX 2022

Imola was a wild card because, A) it was one of three "experimental format" weekends we had this year (which we've had the last year or two), and B) it was raining on and off all weekend, and C), it was the first race of the year in Europe.

It was another Max win! But it was a terrible weekend for Ferrari. Sainz crashed in qualifying and on the first lap of the race and had a DNF for the second race in a row. Charles did everything right but lost the sprint to Max and didn't get a good start in the race, then had a little spin near the end of the race while trying to maximize his opportunity to pass Perez. He finished in the points, but not on the podium. It was awful to think how mad he must have been at himself.

Also of note is that there were FIVE red flags this qualifying cause everyone kept getting on the paint at the same corner and because it was wet, it just sent everyone into the gravel or wall.

Also, Hamilton got lapped by Max in this race which I loved. And Nico Rosberg's commentary was totally roasting Hamilton's performance in 14th compared to George Russell, who was in the top 5.

So here's how the season has been so far: Charles wins, Max DNFs. Max wins, Charles in second. Charles wins, Max DNFs. Max wins, Charles finished in the top 6. They keep trading off.

Here are my notes from the weekend:

Free Practice 1

• it’s an experimental weekend again

• It’s raining and has been raining all day!!

• Red flag when they thought Lando was beached but he was fine and they immediately restarted

• Bottas goes into the gravel and is like inches from hitting the wall but avoids it

Qualifying

• RED FLAG in Q1 when Alex Albon’s rear right tire is on fire and has a small but significant explosion and he somehow manages to get it back to the pit

• Out in Q1: Albon, ocon, Latifi, Gasly, Tsunoda

• Hamilton was ALMOST out in Q1 but made it in by the skin of his teeth. If Ocon had gone out then he would have improved and gotten Hamilton

• RAIN IS COMING in q2 so everyone has like one times lap

• RED FLAG for SAINZ into the wall again and this has happened a few times now

• By the time Carlos car is cleaned up, it’s raining so no one goes out in Q2 cause they won’t be able to beat their times, until Seb and a couple others goes out which we love

• DRAMA as the camera catch an unfriendly exchange between Hamilton and Toto in the back of the garage with toto yelling at him

• Out in Q2: Russell, little Schu, Hamilton, Zhou, Stroll

• First time both Mercedes’ have been out in Q2 since like 2012!

• RED FLAG for Kevin going almost into the wall but he kept it out of it and even brought it back to the garage and everyone was impressed that Kevin thought to throw some acceleration on as he was going into the gravel so he wouldn’t get beached

• ANOTHER RED FLAG for Bottas pulling over

• THE FIFTH RED FLAG of the session for Lando in the barrier in the same spot as everyone else and the session is over and won’t be restarted with 30seconds left

• Max on pole!! Then Charles, then Lando even though he crashed, then Kevin and Alonso

Free practice 2

• nothing to report here

Sprint

• Charles passes max for the lead and the crowd ROARS

• Pierre hits Zhou and Zhou hits the wall and it pulls SAFETY CAR

• Kevin and Perez under investigation for weaving on the straight

• Black and white flag for Kevin for weaving on the straight

• Alonso has a scary moment almost flying into the gravel but saves it

• Alonso has a black and white flag for weaving on the straights

• ON LIKE THE SECOND TO LAST LAP MAX passes Charles for the lead!!

• MAX WINS the sprint, then Charles and Perez!! Hamilton down in 14th hahaha and Russell in 11th

Race

• RAIN!! The track is wet! Ahhh!

• The tifosi are there un impressive force

• Max has a great start and Perez gets into second and Lando into third as Charles falls back in the wet track and doesn’t get away

• Bottas hits Ricciardo who hits Sainz and SAINZ MADE IT TWO CORNERS BEFORE HE IS IN THE GRAVEL BEACHED AGAIN and his race is over!! Brutal in front of the tifosi. Daniel also went through the gravel but is able to keep going but Carlos is beached and it’s over

• Nervy restart but okay

• Alonso has damage and the side pod just broke off all by itself just like in testing and Alonso has to retire

• 8/63 Charles gets past Lando for third and the tifosi roars

• Some very stressful racing of George trying to pass Kevin and then Bottas also getting past Kevin

• Charles has track limits at two corners

• 16/63 Max reports more sliding

• Daniel pits for slicks and is the first of the field to do so

• Bottas has a terrible pit stop

• OCON HITS HAMILTON in the PITS lane and I LOVE it, even though it was not a bad hit and so Hamilton is now in 14th while George is in fifth

• Drivers being told the rain is moving away, rather than before they said rain expected

• Ocon gets a five second penalty for hitting Hamilton in the unsafe release

• Still no DRS in this race and it’s a little damp but there’s no reason not to have it

• Hahaha Nico points out that George is doing great in 5th and Hamilton is in 14th

• Quick yellow for Mick Schumacher getting in a little spin but fortunately keeps going only in last

• Little Schu has a black and white flag for track limits

• 30/63 Perez has an off going straight through the corner but still keeps ahead of Charles

• 35/63 DRS finally enabled

• MAX LAPS HAMILTON HAHAHAHAH THIS IS THE BEST

• Every lap Hamilton tries to get past Pierre but he just can’t and it’s a huge joke

• Nico Rosberg just roasted Hamilton’s performance and it’s great

• Pierre is just totally keeping Hamilton behind and it’s amazing

• 50/63 Charles pits for the second time to get new tires and he’s the only one who has done that so then they also put Perez so he can stay on fast tires too

• LESS THAN TEN LAPS LEFT, CHARLES SPINS AND TAPS THE WALL because he was trying to get towards Perez into second BUT HE NEARLY CRASHED and it only took off part of the wing and they could have left him out but they pitted him and now he’s back in 8th instead of third

• Bottas on 5th is right behind George Russell in 4th and may get him with a few laps let

• MAX WINSSSSSS

• Perez in second!!

• Lando on third!

• Charles was able to get up to finish in 6th

• George finished in fourth but Bottas sent a message and nearly passed him

• Hamilton finished 13th hahaha

• Oh woah COOLDOWN ROOM for the first time in forever! Perez Max and Lando talking about Charles spin which they show