Imola Preview
After a one-week hiatus, Formula One is back and this week they’re at the famed Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari for the Rolex Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
This track has a long history behind it but had been off the F1 schedule since 2006 until the pandemic put the track back on the schedule in 2020.
This race will include a sprint race (one of three this season) so it will be a big points weekend, especially for those trying to catch Charles Leclerc.
One of the biggest storylines going into this weekend is the sprint race. This weekend’s sprint race comes with some new rules and an updated points system in an attempt to revamp a newer aspect of F1.
The largest change is how it affects qualifying. This year, the sprint race will not determine who will be awarded a pole position. Pole position will be determined during qualifying which takes place on Friday, before the sprint race.
However, just because a driver wins the pole, doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed to start at the front of the field. The sprint race will still set the starting order for the entire field.
Another thing that has vastly changed in the sprint race is how points are awarded. In the past, the winner only received three points and the points were only given to the top three finishers.
This year, the winner will receive eight points and the top eight will all receive points. This will undoubtedly make the sprint race more competitive and risky which drivers still in the hunt for the World Championship will need to look out for.
At the same time, this race could be a good way for drivers like George Russell and Carlos Sainz Jr., who are second and third respectively in the points standings, to make some ground up on Leclerc.
One of the drivers to keep an eye on this weekend is Max Verstappen. Verstappen has been the biggest title challenger to Charles Leclerc this season, despite being in sixth place in points due to some DNFs.
Look for Verstappen to be aggressive in both the sprint race and main event as he tries to close the 46-point gap on Leclerc. This weekend will be critical for Verstappen’s title hopes and a bad outing here could knock him out of the running for the championship.
Leclerc is the favorite for this weekend based not only on his performance but also on Ferrari’s. Ferrari has been the dominant team this year and, add on the fact that this is a home race for Ferrari with it being in Italy, and we could see complete weekend domination by them.
With this race being in Europe, teams will be able to bring in upgrades for their cars. Multiple teams, including Red Bull, have confirmed that they will be bringing upgrades for this race. These upgrades will be critical for Red Bull to get back in the title hunt and close the gap on Ferrari.
Unlike last year, the weather should only really be an issue on Friday. Sunday’s race will more than likely be run on dry tires, eliminating a big concern for teams.
This all-important race will start at 9 a.m. EST on Sunday, airing on ESPN, and will be a race that you won’t want to miss.
Ethan Ellis is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email him at ece5133@psu.edu.
